


A Fairytale Ought Not To Be A Mess

by nevercanreadenough



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Almost Fluff, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blatant evil free, Draco Malfoy is a Brat, Grey Harry, Harry Potter is Not a Horcrux, Harry Potter is Not the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry is a Good Friend, Harry is a Little Shit, Harry is a little weirder, Hermione Granger is a Good Friend, I Don't Even Know, I hope, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, No outright evil here, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend, Teenage Tom Riddle, Tom Riddle doesn't know how to be a friend, Tom Riddle is Not Voldemort, Tom Riddle is accidentally a good friend, Tom Riddle is still dangerous, Young Tom Riddle, easy reading, not yet anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:09:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 30,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25845595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nevercanreadenough/pseuds/nevercanreadenough
Summary: Once upon a time, in a land far closer than one might think, a baby boy lay on the doorstep of a very muggle neighbourhood. As odd as that occurrence was, the child in question was odder still.
Relationships: Harry Potter & Tom Riddle | Voldemort, Rodolphus Lestrange/Harry Potter
Comments: 79
Kudos: 313





	1. The Beginning of Trouble

**Author's Note:**

> I’m trying to write smaller. Or well, shorter because I’m terrible at knowing where to stop so I wanted to write something fun and mostly lighthearted. Updates will come whenever because I’m mostly focused on Inevitability so I won’t commit to anything just yet but I've gotten a few chapter written already so yay!  
> Fairytale in the loosest of senses and almost everyone is the same age and Voldemort doesn't exist yet.  
> As always, no beta!

_Once upon a time, in a land far closer than one might think, a baby boy lay on the doorstep of a very muggle neighbourhood. As odd as that occurrence was, the child in question was odder still._

_The little boy named Harry, after an ancestor he would never know of, was a wizard. Not an extraordinary one, not a particularly bad one, but a very normal everyday wizard. It must be said at this point that while Harry was indeed a perfectly normal wizard, his further childhood would make him even more ordinary, apart from the fact that the abuse his relative’s bestowed on him caused his core to become larger than most normal wizards. Of course, abuse is never normal. Nor was poor Harry's childhood. Frankly, the only normal thing about Harry Potter was that he was boy._

_Harry Potter was the culmination of love between two even more ordinary parents. A man, James Potter, and a woman, Lily Evans. They had met while in school and, as such things to tend to happen, they gradually fell in love until they eventually decided to show the world their deep connection and devotion to the other through marriage._

_As love stories go, it was quite ordinary and the only thing that marred this ordinary love was the war waging fiercely around their bubble of happiness. All too soon that bubble was sadly, but inevitably, popped. In a tragic and frantic attempt to save their son from what they believed was evil, both James Potter and Lily Potter were murdered. Their last and desperate attempt to save their only son had, joyously, succeeded and Harry Potter survived the night. The powers that be (unnamed and unimportant in Harry's story) placed him in the care of his direct family: Petunia Evans, Lily's dear sister._

_Now it may surprise a fair few people that Petunia Evans was not a witch. She had wanted to be one, but soon came to the conclusion (and after several rejections) that magic and anything to do with the subject was far too much effort and she would prefer to spend her time doing things worth her while._

_Her life, strictly outlined, passed as she had hoped. She had gone to university and graduated accordingly, found herself a mediocre job, and found a steady love that would endure. Vernon Dursley was perhaps not the love of her life, but was so ordinary and fit in her life plan so perfectly that she loved him besottedly for her whole life. Her life passed in a normal amount of mundane happiness that thrilled her down to her very toes. Vernon proposed, they got married, and lived a happy life. Life's joys increased when Vernon was offered a promotion and around the same time Petunia became pregnant. They had a baby boy. Life was complete._

_Sadly for Petunia, her life was about to meet a fair few difficulties that she had never planned for and thus couldn't fathom. Her sister died. Her grief had no chance to express itself in the face of two very strange and unknown wizards telling her that Lily's son was now her responsibility. Petunia rightly didn't care for their plans and her grief quickly turned to resentment at having been shoved face first into an unplanned future where her very happy ordinary life was now anything but._

_Poor darling Harry never stood a chance._

_As Harry grew Petunia only noticed how very much he wasn't like her sister. The only thing that marred this observation were his eyes, something she took great pains to ignore whenever she could for fear of losing the last of her kin. Harry, she knew, was bound to be a wizard and would thus be lost to her in a very short amount of time. It had never occurred to her that love would have kept him coming back._

_Thus Harry grew and Petunia's fear and anger grew with him. By the time Harry turned ten he knew several things that no normal child, or adult for that matter, would ever know. He knew how to hide certain emotions, he knew how to become what people thought of him, he knew how to hide bruises, he knew how to lie convincingly, and most importantly of all, Harry knew how to become completely ordinary. So ordinary, in fact, that he would never need a spell to hide him from sight as he was so uninteresting, ones eyes simply slid past him._

_Harry himself had never equated his dismal upbringing with abuse of any sort. He was convinced (although unhappily so) that this was simply how people were treated. It wasn't until much later (and very unimportant to our story), in the face of having his own children that he understood what he had gone through. So Harry, mostly unhappy with his lot in life but determined to make it to his eighteenth birthday, was very much fiercely disturbed at the events that transpired a few short weeks prior to his eleventh birthday._

_A letter appeared._

_Harry was a wizard._

_Harry, both excited and resigned to his fate, had to change his plans for the future. Now he was going to be free a whole year earlier. That had shocked him something fierce because he needed money to escape earlier (he was the practical sort, after all). As luck would have it his parents had left him some money. They had also, to his great surprise, left him a rich inheritance to a part of the Wizarding world he hadn't been introduced to yet._

_He was an Heir._

_As Harry grew in this new world, it became apparent to him that his previously very ordinary life had continued on in the Wizarding world. For he was ordinary in that world where he had never been in the muggle world and it comforted him immeasurably that he wasn't alone. He made friends, had two best friends, and studied the way he had never been allowed to before. His grades were still average (perhaps by chance, perhaps on purpose), his magic wasn't all that impressive, and he still very much fell into the background in any given moment. Life was good._

_Plans, as many may know, have a habit of falling into drastic disarray the moment one feels comfort in knowing everything will run smoothly. Which is why Harry's life suddenly took a turn for the unplanned the year he turned seventeen._

~~~~~~~~

Harry had always known Draco Malfoy. Not in the sense of friends or even acquaintances, but more in the sense of 'oh he's rich and handsome'. Everyone knew Draco Malfoy and everyone knew that he was far out of Harry's league.

Which is to say, Harry didn't let anyone know he was interested. To be fair, he hadn't been in the beginning. As first years Harry just thought Draco was a prat and as they grew up that opinion hadn't changed much. It wasn't until sixth year that Harry saw the change from rich playboy who flaunts it all to a more...well, he didn't know what but he knew there had been a change. There was a slight arrogance, a confidence that hadn't been there before.

To be completely fair, Harry had never taken his interest in Draco farther than the occasional look, not because he didn't appreciate the view, but because he had had a better one. A real one. A crush worthy of swooning (if he had been a girl and had any swooning tendencies, that is). Rodolphus Lestrange. Heir. Future Lord of the Lestrange House. Powerful. Didn't know Harry existed.

Harry had met him as a lowly first year when he had been hit by a spell that some passing Hufflepuff fourth year had thought funny (he regretted that action later, Harry made sure of it) when Rodolphus had angrily stepped in and helped him. Harry was lost.

He was handsome, rough features, dark eyes, and a temper to match. The small gratefulness of that action had morphed into a truly embarrassing heart longing that still hadn't left him, even when Rodolphus had been out of Hogwarts for the past four years.

Can you hold on to a crush when you haven't seen hide or hair of the actually individual for four years? Harry did, and he hated it. Mostly because he knew Rodolphus didn't have a clue he existed, despite Harry's friendship with his brother. Which is why Harry was surprised (and a little relieved if not outright disgusted) that his full-blown almost-love for Rodolphus had turned into a minor crush on Draco. Moving on was healthy.

For people.

In general.

Contrary to popular belief (Ron and Hermione) he wasn't obsessed enough with Draco to notice that the boy had changed over the summer, Harry just paid attention. Which is where it all went horribly, _horribly_ wrong. Because somehow Draco started to notice him noticing Draco and...awkward.

Draco was...well, even through all their years together at Hogwarts, Draco was contemptible. He was rich, he was an only child, his parents were very influential, and above all, Draco believed he deserved it all. The money, the public eye, people throwing themselves at him, all of it. He wanted it, got it, and then demanded more. He was bully in the worst ways possible, he had a new person on his arm practically every week (which wasn't all that bad but he treated them horribly), made sure to tank a persons reputations if they did anything he didn't like, and made sure to ruin their futures if they went after him in retaliation. Draco Malfoy was not a nice person.

Which made Harry twice as surprised to find out that he thought Draco had a pretty face. It wasn't quite a crush because he could never like Draco as a person but it also didn't stop him from thoroughly appreciating the aesthetics that made up Draco Malfoy. There was nothing redeeming about him after all, nothing good that made Harry think that maybe Draco had more layers underneath all of that poncy git-ness. After years and years of observing Draco Harry knew the cold hard truth: Draco was exactly what he advertised.

Now, that wasn't a bad thing despite popular opinion. Mostly because you knew what you were getting into and if you got burned then that was on you and Harry respected that kind of upfront behaviour. It was bad because Harry hated it. All of it. Everything that Draco represented was what Harry despised. That, logically, made his crush hard to swallow.

So when seventh year was a few months underway and Draco had started to talk to Harry, (did giving him a nod and saying hello count?) Harry simply took it in stride and figured Draco was being weird. When their odd nods and muttered greetings turned into 'can I sit here' and 'hey did you hear/see/know' Harry became suspicious. Draco didn't randomly start talking to people who were beneath him and Harry was very much beneath Draco. Socially speaking of course.

Well, he had been. Now, because people where everywhere Draco went, he was becoming popular by association and he hated it. He had never wanted to be popular and he had never wanted to stand in any kind of limelight but Draco Malfoy had taken an interest in him so now he had no choice.

The big, irritatingly persistent question was what exactly Draco was doing. While they hadn't been adversaries of any sort, they also hadn't been friendly. Draco was happy in his circle and Harry was happy in his. Their circles had never overlapped. Which led him to believe three very important things:

One: Draco had a plan and that plan hinged on Harry or revolved around Harry.

Two: Harry most certainly did not want to play along.

Three: Draco wouldn't care that Harry didn't want to be involved.

So. What was he going to do? Find out what Draco wanted of course. While he may very much enjoy looking at Draco (who didn't like to look at a pretty face after all?) he was also very much aware that he didn't actually want to do anything with Draco. Just because he had a crush didn't mean he had to do anything with that feeling, and Harry had never been inclined to ever do anything with it. The fact that Draco was doing something with it now put him on red alert.

"Potter." A cordial greeting interrupted his silent musings.

"Malfoy." Harry greeted back, surprise in his face while his mind swirled with plans to figure out what the git was hiding.

Draco smiled at him as he put his books down on the table Harry had claimed as his own. "Potions?" He inquired with a nod towards the offending book Harry had been trying to avoid for over an hour.

"Yeah." Harry replied as Draco sat down. Harry could get away with saying the bare minimum because he hadn't known what to say to Draco in the beginning and now it was habit so the other boy wouldn't notice anything different if Harry said next to nothing. It was something of a relief for Harry when he got tongue-tied or when he just didn't know what to say.

"I can help you with that, you know."

"You want to help me?" Was it possible to actually taste scepticism? Because Harry was sure he could even as he said the words. Draco never did anything for free, never offered up services that would cost you a 'favour' in the future. _Suspicious._

"I am currently the top of our year in potions." Which he was, by a hair. Hermione was only a few points behind him and that was only because Snape was a prejudiced fuck that favoured Draco above everyone else, no matter their talents. That, and Tom Riddle was so close behind him that Draco had to feel the other man breathing down his neck.

"Why?" The big question that he wouldn't get an answer to and the one he was purposely misconstruing while being lost in his own thoughts.

"Why do I want to help you?" Draco asked, a slight confused tone in his voice.

Harry nodded in reply, watching Draco with a furrowed brow and curious eyes. Would he tell the truth? Probably not, but despite popular opinion, the lies people told were sometimes just as helpful as the truth. Which didn't mean that he wouldn't tell Harry the truth about why he was helping even though Harry was trying to figure out an entirely different question altogether. He was making this complicated, he just knew it.

"Because I want us to be friends, and friends help each other." Draco told him with a winning smile that almost made Harry narrow his eyes in distrust.

Draco did not do 'friends', especially not from other social circles ( _especially_ not the one Harry was in with a mudblood and a blood traitor). So Draco didn't want to be his friend but he definitely wanted something specific from Harry.

Harry hummed in thought. "We'll see how it goes." He replied, watching as the other boy tried to hide a smirk of satisfaction.

Honestly, the least he could do was try and make it less obvious that he wanted Harry for something. This was almost too easy. Maybe he could put on his invisibility cloak and hover around them at dinner? Follow them to the dungeons and find out what the fuss was all about. If there was one thing Harry hated more than anything was being kept in the dark when it concerned him, so he was determined to find out why Draco Malfoy was suddenly interested in him.

"So, potions?" Draco prompted him after he had set up his books and parchment in just the right way.

"Potions." Harry said with a decisive nod.

Harry wasn't stupid; he just didn't try all too hard in a subject where he knew the teacher hated his very existence. That didn't mean he didn't study since both O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.'s were tested by a second party and thus had nothing to do with Snape, letting him get an honest grade instead a biased one. He had been surprised that he had actually gained an O when the threat of Snape wasn't hanging above his head. Merlin, even _Neville_ had gotten an E. If that didn't say enough about Snape's teaching methods, he didn't know what would.

The point, however, was that Harry wasn't stupid. He didn't actually need any help from Malfoy (or even Hermione for that matter) and he knew what the hell he was doing. So instead of having a torture session where Draco attempted to tutor him, he pretended Draco was amazing at explaining potions and helped him gain a new way of looking at them. All lies of course, but it put him in Draco's good books and made the man preen like an idiot before he claimed he had to meet up with someone. Good fucking riddance.

What he really wanted to do was follow him and find out exactly what was going on but he knew exactly what Draco meant when he said he had to 'meet up' with someone. Sex. And no way was Harry walking in on that and ruining the whole game before he could figure out what Draco was going to use him for.

So instead of jumping up and following him, he watched Draco as he made his way out of the library and started to plan the best way to disappear for a few hours without anyone knowing. Even Ron and Hermione, which would the most difficult part of the whole plan. Pretend detention? Extra credit work? Perhaps a trip to Hagrid? Options, options, options.

"He's not interested, you know." A voice said casually from behind him.

Twisting around his seat to find the source of the voice, Harry found a very tall figure perusing the stacks with his back turned to him, seemingly focused on finding a book.

Harry sighed deeply once he realised it was Tom Riddle looking for a book. "Yeah, I know." He said as he turned back in time to watch Draco disappear out the library door.

Tom Riddle was a fellow seventh year and if Harry remembered correctly, the Head Boy this year. He was also a very popular student whose sole focus in life was to be the best at everything.

All that would be perfectly fine if he didn't know for a fact that Riddle and Draco ran in opposing circles. Draco was the playboy of Hogwarts and Riddle was...hell, Tom Riddle was _Dangerous_.

Harry had a nasty habit of enjoying illegal things. Maybe not quite illegal in the strictest of senses, more morally skewed perhaps. One of his favourite pastimes was to put on invisibility cloak and roam the halls, following people and learning their secrets. Most were harmless, but that's how he came to learn of the Knights of Walpurgis. He had been following a shifty looking Avery one night and stumbled in on their little meeting.

It was the single most terrifying night of his life. It was the night he learned that there was a difference between power and perceived power. Draco thought he had power, Tom Riddle actually had power. He had been twitchy and panicked for weeks after, keeping to the background more than ever until he realized that nobody had even noticed he had been there. So he did the most logical thing he could think of: he went back. He had gone back to every meeting he could walk in on for the next six months until he realized exactly what he was getting himself into.

He had no intentions of ever being a follower, of ever being less than he was. If was ever in Tom Riddle's group he would have been relegated to the back, made useful when it suited and forgotten about when not. Harry wasn't a fan of the spotlight but that in no way meant he was fine with other people putting him in the background. That was his choice and his alone.

Not only that but he had some serious issues with Riddle's...more fanatic side. He'd seen plenty of moments where Riddle seemed a little too unbalanced for his liking and a little too quick to anger. Not good qualities in a leader, in his opinion.

That had been last year though and since those displays of power he hadn't ever felt the need to go back or to make himself seen by Riddle. All of that was now very much out the window because Draco Malfoy had decided to take an interest in him.

"If you know, then what are you doing?" Riddle asked as he found the book he was looking for.

"Interested in my motivations Riddle?" Harry asked, turning to Riddle in curiosity.

Riddle turned his head in Harry's direction and gave him a sharp smile. "Interested in you, for the moment. Malfoy has made you interesting by association."

"So?" Harry wondered despite abject terror entering his bloodstream.

"I'm wondering what you're going to do with it." Riddle stated, finally turning to look Harry head on, something that made Harry squirm since he hated scrutiny of any sort.

"The interest?" He asked, not quite sure what to do with the whole conversation.

"The possibilities." Riddle said softly, leaning in just enough to make it seem like he was sharing something secret.

Harry hummed in thought and he watched Riddle stroll away. Well. Wasn't that an interesting take on his situation. What _was_ he going to do with all of this?


	2. Getting Troubled Help

_When Harry was just a young boy barely able to see over the top of the table, he learned a few valuable lessons. One: always avoid Uncle Vernon whenever possible. Two: Spend as little time as possible in the presence of his aunt and cousin. Three: school wasn't meant to educate him if he did better than his cousin. Four: lying was a valuable asset when forced to tell adults something in those sticky moments when silence was not sufficient. Five: information was worth more than anything in the world when it got him food in return for keeping his mouth shut. Six: friends were luxuries he would never have. Young Harry learned his lessons well and by the time he came to Hogwarts, he merely adjusted these rules to his new environment. As time and experience would have it, not all habits from early childhood are easily broken but dear Harry was never one for convention when needs must._

~~~~~~~~

What was he going to do? He was going to kill Malfoy, that's what he was going to do. Never in Harry's life had he been watched as much as he was now, not even with the bloody Dursley's who liked to hover just in case he tried anything, and it was bloody unnerving. Harry wasn't made to be watched, he was made to be left to his own devices because that's what he did. He had never had to watch what he said, minded how he ate, had to reel in his temper. It was exhausting, and that was just from one day! He wasn't sure he had what it took to continue this charade.

Not that it stopped him from wondering what Draco was up to and figuring out what to do with the possibilities Tom had pointed out.

What did he want? Well, that was rather easy, wasn't it? He wanted to be free of the Dursley's. That was the only real motivation in his life and it had absolutely nothing to do with Malfoy at all. None of this new found social standing would help him get away from the Dursley's in a way he couldn't on his own. All he had to do was wait a little over eight months and that was essentially it. He didn't need anyone stepping in, he didn't need to throw money at the problem, and he didn't need anything other than time and patience.

So what did he want? He already had a career in mind, already had good grades, already had a focus in life. None of that needed anything he couldn't get on his own, so what did he want that he couldn't figure out a way to get on his own?

Nothing. There was nothing that Malfoy could give him that he wanted because while he harboured a minor crush on Malfoy, the man didn't really bring anything other than good looks to the table.

Harry was fully aware that that he enjoyed looking at Malfoy more than interacting with him in any way. So. What was he left with?

There was one way, one way this whole miserable situation could be useful but Harry had never been sure he wanted to go down than route. He had responsibilities, sure, but he wasn't expected to do anything with those responsibilities until much later in life despite being the last of his line. His political future (if he wanted one) would be greatly improved by this newfound association to Malfoy. The big question was: did he want it? No, scratch that, the big question was whether or not his reason was enough to take it.

Right now the answer was a resounding 'no' until he found out what Malfoy wanted with him before he could use Malfoy. To do that, he needed help.

~ ~ ~ ~

"You're doing what?" Hermione questioned, a scowl starting to form that warned Harry of potential danger.

"Trying to find out why Malfoy is being nice to me." Harry dutifully repeated.

"I have no words." Ron said helplessly, looking very concerned for Harry's mental health but clearly not knowing how to help.

"I have all the words." Hermione said in a tone that made Harry wince.

"You're not allowed to say any of them." Harry warned Hermione seriously.

"Well tough luck because I've heard a lot of crazy things come from your mouth over the years and I'm pretty sure this has topped all of them."

"Including the escaped convict of a godfather?" Ron asked, clearly thinking over all the things Harry told them.

Harry was not amused. Mostly because Sirius had killed Pettigrew but stupidly destroyed the body and now has no evidence to ever clear his name leaving Harry in the position to always hide his relationship with his godfather. He had tried, when he was thirteen, to explain everything to his friends, but clearly they hadn't believed a word he said.

"I told you lot the truth and you still don't believe me, that's not on me, that's on you and your stupidness." Harry was angry, but he couldn't decide whom he was angry with so he just took it out on both of them.

"That's not really very nice." Ron replied, affronted and a little cross.

"We'll help." Hermione interjected before they could get into a fight.

"You'll what?" Harry asked in surprise, his anger knocked off-course by her sudden acceptance.

"We will?" Ron echoed in blatant shock.

"Look, you'll do this with or without us helping you out and I have been a little bored lately and Ron needs a bit of excitement in his life. Besides, if this makes Riddle not notice you for a while, then why not."

Harry narrowed his eyes at one of his best friends. "You're doing this to fuck with Riddle aren't you?"

"He can't be the best at everything!" Hermione stated shrilly before catching herself and clearing her throat. "All I'm saying is that you work better when we help you."

Harry shared a look with Ron but in the end he figured he couldn't be everywhere at once and having help would, in fact, be welcome. It would also lessen the amount of time he would spend trying to figure out what lies to tell his friends and then back them up so it wouldn't be all a lie. Alibi's saved lives. Sirius could learn from him.

"And Malfoy?"

"He needs to be taken down a peg or two. Professor Snape won't save him in the real world." Hermione said with a sinister smile.

"Merlin." Ron breathed, a mixture of awe and fear written across his face.

"You don't actually think he'll go on to brew potions do you?" Harry asked, interested in why she cared so much.

Hermione scoffed. "I couldn't care less what he does with his life, I just want to graduate top of our year, of all the years _ever_ , so that every time I meet him I can stuff his failure to beat a mudblood like me in his face whenever he brings up his Pureblood bullshit."

"Oh boy." Harry muttered. He knew there was a lot of prejudice around Hogwarts, especially with the Pureblood and even more with the Slytherin Purebloods, but he never realized how much it had affected Hermione's emotional state. He knew she fought against it every chance she got, and that she had gotten herself a tutor so she could fit in once she left Hogwarts, but he never equated their words with, well, bullying. He probably should have.

"I hope he chokes on it!" Hermione stated with a dangerously wild look in her eyes.

And really, what could he say to that? If this was his best friend's way of getting a little revenge, why would he begrudge her that?

"Right then. Welcome to the team." He told them, watching as a truly thrilled look passed over Hermione's face. He would have been worried if he were Malfoy.


	3. Sometimes Not Knowing Is Better For One's Health

_People often suspect others of the worst of crimes, especially when those crimes are directed to one's self. Harry was much the same in that regard and frequently took pains to be as invisible as possible so he wouldn't garner any attention at all and thusly no horrible crimes were committed to his person. That all changed when Draco Malfoy had taken an interest in him and Harry had been forced to find out how exactly he was to be framed for a crime he might possibly, in the future, commit. So it came as quite the shock when he learned that some crimes are really as simple (and as unsatisfying) as they appear. It seemed that dear Harry's mind was a far darker place than he had first expected and it had taken great pains to admit to himself that other people might never have a deeper motivation than one that satisfies their basic needs._

~~~~~~~~

After spending the last two weeks throwing on his invisibility cloak at every opportunity, having Hermione sneak around with a terrifying glint in her eyes, and having Ron map out times and routes most efficient to both lurking and snooping, Harry had finally come to the conclusion that Draco and his friends were idiots. After countless stakeouts, eavesdropping, lurking, and sneaking around, Harry, Ron and Hermione had pieced enough information together from all of the overheard conversations to make an informed conclusion.

What did Draco want? Draco Malfoy wanted a simple fuck.

No other motives.

No other reason.

Harry was easy because apparently Harry already liked Draco enough that Draco wouldn't have to put in too much effort to get him in the sack.

Harry was insulted.

Ron was baffled.

Hermione hadn't stopped laughing.

So what now? Now that he knew what Draco was after, what all the attention was about, what was Harry going to do with it? The thing was that Riddle wasn't wrong when he said that Harry had possibilities.

Since he was still in school, he had the whole world open to him. The social circles on the 'outside' meant more to his future than any of the petty games the students around him chose to engage in. His association with Draco could potentially mean an 'in' with his father: a Lord, board member of Hogwarts, and a voting member in the Wizengamot. A man of power and influence. Which wasn't to say he was the most powerful, not at all, he was simply the one closest to Harry at the moment. He could have easily gone to Rabastan Lestrange, in all honesty, but he didn't want to go down that route.

For starters Rabastan was part of Riddle's Knights, which in and of itself was a big barrel of angry bees and he didn't want to even think of opening that. Secondly, his brother was Rodolphus and Harry could fully admit to himself that he still felt very strongly about the man. Which, he could only just barely admit, was a little creepy.

Harry Potter was a nobody in Rodolphus' eyes and the years Harry had spent in the shadows hadn't done him any favours in that regard either.

Draco had therefore come as a nice (if still somewhat unpleasant) distraction. It had been four years after all, and who was Harry to wait on a man who genuinely didn't know he existed? Nevermind the fact that he had heard from Rabastan that Rodolphus was in a contract with Bellatrix Black. Bellatrix! Harry had only met her once when he visited Sirius a few years ago and Merlin, the girl was a nightmare! She was the worst kind of spoiled brat and he couldn't imagine how Rodolphus fit with her. Was it just the Black name? The Black connections?

Harry rightly knew that he could never have what he wanted but maybe that didn't have to mean the end of his very much imagined happily ever after. Maybe he could use Draco to forge his own network of power.

Did he want that though? It seemed more Hermione's speed, trying to change the Wizarding world for the better. Not to say that he didn't agree with most of her ranting but he never figured he would be the man to make the changes happen. Unless he could be the man who changed a few minor things in order for Hermione to be able to tackle the big ones. Now _that_ he could get behind.

The big question he had absolutely no way of answering was: How did he get the connections he needed?

"So Riddle asked you a question so profound you're now going to change your whole future?" Ron asked confused as they slowly did their homework in the common room.

"Not really. He pointed out that once I'm a Lord I'm going to have a lot more power and responsibilities so it would only make sense to get a head start on those connections." Harry explained.

Hermione snorted. "I seriously doubt he said all that."

"He might have implied." Ron and Hermione looked at him with identical sceptical looks. He sighed in annoyance. "Fine. He didn't say any of that and no he didn't imply it either, but he did hint and I got the hint and it makes sense."

"And what are you going to do with all that power?" Ron asked, now relaxing since Harry wasn't being an idiot any more even while Hermione's sceptical look deepened.

"Dunno." Harry replied with a shrug as he eyed his Charms assignment. "That was kind of the point of me figuring out if I wanted to do any of it."

"Do it." Hermione stated firmly.

"Really?" Ron and Harry asked simultaneously, both turning to look at her in their surprise.

"I'm a mudblood and Ron's a blood traitor." Hermione started, her tone already sliding into lecture mode.

"Whole family is." Ron said with a proud look.

Hermione ignored him. "We're not ever going anywhere, but with you on our side I could actually make some serious changes."

"Oh Merlin." Ron moaned, suddenly understanding where she was going with this.

"Erm." Harry stated, a little terrified.

"Besides that, these idiots could help set you up for life!" Hermione declared, leaning forward and smacking her hand on the table.

"Is this another vendetta against Malfoy and Riddle?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"Riddle smiddle!" Hermione stated loudly. "Both you and him are going to be Lords of your Houses on your majority which is decades earlier than Malfoy."

"So?" Ron asked as intrigued as Harry.

"So, the prat is making enemies left right and centre without a thought for the future. We're all going to remember him being a poncy git and he won't do shite with his life because 'Daddy's got connections'." Hermione mimicked with disgust. "If you make your connections now, you'll be a major powerhouse by the time Malfoy even gets on the scene! You could annihilate him!"

"Oh boy." Ron mumbled throwing a knowing look Harry's way.

"Wasn't it Riddle she hated this much?" Harry asked in an aside as Hermione continued to point out the benefits of Harry's unique position.

Ron shrugged. "She kind of respects Riddle because of his work ethic, Malfoy has no redeeming qualities."

Harry's shoulders sagged as he sent Hermione a worried look. "Made fun of her again, eh?"

"Big teeth." Ron confirmed. "Parkinson and her pack of wolves have been hounding her all week."

"Alright." Harry stated with a firm nod, interrupting Hermione's informational rant on law changes within the Wizengamot. "I'm in. Let's crush Malfoy like a bug!"

Hermione pumped her fist and hissed out a long 'yes' that caused both Ron and Harry to exchanged bemused looks. Nothing would ever entertain them more than Hermione's lapse in decorum when she got what she wanted.


	4. The Start of Something Not Terribly Horrible

_It wasn't that Harry wasn't particularly interested in that sort of thing, because he really wasn't, he was simply very aware of how something like this could shape his future. This was probably caused by various informational speeches Hermione Jean Granger bestode on him, but one could never be quite sure where dear Harry got his ideas. Far from the complacent boy he had been when the year had started, he now knew that the path he had been set on was changing drastically. Unlike his horrible aunt, he simply adjusted his expectations and thought that, perhaps, his life could possibly be more than normal. It could, perhaps, even be exciting._

~~~~~~~~

"Hey Riddle."

"Potter."

"Question."

"Ask a teacher."

"Not that kind of question."

"Ask the medi-witch."

"Still not the question, and this would go a lot quicker if you stopped guessing."

"I'm not guessing, I'm trying to get rid of you." Riddle hissed at him as he tried to ignore Harry's presence as he looked for a book he required.

"That's a little rude, so I'm going to ignore that."

"I wish you wouldn't."

"Are you invited to the Malfoy Ball this year?"

"I have gained a plus one from Rodolphus, so I will be attending with him. Now go away."

Harry cleared his throat. "Rodolphus? As in the Lestrange Heir?"

"Is there another?" Tom asked in a casual tone which meant Harry was fucked because casual Tom meant interested Tom.

"Well, no-I didn't mean-I'm just wondering is all." He was a terrible liar. A terrible, horrible liar with no lying skills at all despite the fact that he was an excellent liar.

Tom frowned deeply at him, his brows furrowed in an attempt to figure out what was going on. His face cleared and he sighed deeply as if he was terribly disappointed with Harry in that moment. Harry found that he couldn't quite disagree with the sigh.

"You're interested in him."

"Interested? I wouldn't say interested per se." Harry said, trying very hard for nonchalance. Tom glared at him. "Yes, alright, I like him." Harry said as he deflated in pathetic-ness.

"There are several things that would benefit you more than wasting your time panting after someone who doesn't know you exist."

Harry winced at the truth of that statement. "Ouch. It explains a lot about you though."

Riddle rolled his eyes. "I'm sure it does."

"Hang on, didn't you have a girlfriend last year?" Harry asked with a furrowed brow as he remembered a pretty girl with golden hair that had looked at Riddle with hearts in her eyes.

"Optics." Riddle said casually, not affected at all by what Harry was trying to imply.

"Of course it was." Harry snorted. "So are you going then?"

Tom sighed deeply like the whole conversation was torturing him. "Of course I will be attending, it's the Malfoy Yule Celebration. Anyone with a brain will go."

"How does one get an invitation?" Harry asked in interest. It was sort of his whole linchpin in the whole mad operation after all.

"The usual way, I assume." Riddle sighed at Harry's 'go on' motion. "Either you're an important figure in our world or you belong to one of the titled Houses." He expanded shortly.

"So why didn't I get an invite? Technically I'm the last Potter and Heir." Harry pointed out thoughtfully.

"Probably because you have no Wizarding guardians."

Harry wrinkled his nose. "How does that even make a difference?"

"How would you intend to get to the venue? Malfoy's do not invite muggles and muggles cannot find the manor."

"Huh. That's actually a good point. Doesn't mean they couldn't send me a portkey."

Tom rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Portkey's mean going to get a permit, not to mention the fact that if they did it just for you then they would be snubbing countless other families that may have wanted the same thing, not even mentioning the chaos it would cause and the money they would have to spend on each permit. It would become a social mine field."

"Alright, fine, point made." Harry groused.

"My life is complete, I have finally taught you something." Tom deadpanned irritably.

Harry stuck out his tongue. "You're the one who dragged his own arse into this, I didn't even have that option."

"And now I have the option of not speaking with you." Tom declared and walked away before Harry could even utter a single word.

The bastard had walked away from him! How the hell was he supposed to figure out what he wanted if Tom wouldn't help him? Fucking prat, honestly. The nerve!

"What's all your grumbling about?" Ron asked, appearing out of nowhere and making Harry jump in fright.

"Nothing, nothing. Just Riddle being a prat." Harry said as he calmed his racing pulse and ushered his two friends out of the library.

"You know Harry," Hermione stated casually as they waited outside Charms some time later, "for someone who keeps saying Riddle is dangerous, you sure do spend a lot of time together."

And, _well_. He really couldn't refute that could he? "He is dangerous." He replied. "But right now he isn't dangerous to me, just interested. Maybe." He amended when he thought back to how curt Riddle had just been with him.

He also rightly refused to admit that Riddle's interest in him might have sparked some latent interest in Riddle. Harry hadn't gone to one of his meetings for a while now and he was curious as to how Riddle was shaping up as a leader.

Ron scrunched up his nose in confusion. "Isn't that the same thing when it comes to Riddle?"

Harry huffed in agreement. "I'm just interesting because of Malfoy, he's trying to figure out if I'm interesting on my own, is all." Harry said lightly.

All Harry really had to do was keep being the boring person he was. Riddle would never stay interested in the person he projected to the world and Harry was more than fine with that. He liked his quiet world just the way it was. Maybe.


	5. A Confusing Amount of Luck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted 3 new chapters today, so if you're here without knowing that, go back!!

_Sometimes in life when one thinks on a subject with either interest or disgust for a long period of time, the universe comes together to present either the subject itself in a surprising manner to one's attention or have it punch you in the face so often that disgust simply cannot cover one's loathing of the subject. Dear Harry often found himself not thinking about subjects on purpose since he didn't want that sort of attention on his person, but as such things come to pass, his luck had run clean out._

~~~~~~~~

"You want to what?" Harry asked in confusion as he stared at Malfoy.

"Are you deaf?" The boy huffed out, most likely offended at Harry's underwhelming reaction to his news.

Harry's head bobbed in quick agreement. "Maybe a little because I'm sure I just heard you invite me to your family ball."

"I did." Malfoy stated as he lifted one perfect eyebrow.

Harry pondered this strange turn of events before coming to the only conclusion that seemed most likely. "So I'm definitely deaf."

"Potter, stop being ridiculous. You're invited and I expect to see you there."

And Harry, knowing to never look a gift horse in the mouth, decided to argue almost immediately. "Why on earth would you invite me to the Malfoy winter ball? That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard of, and we're wizards."

Draco clenched his teeth in a visible attempt to calm himself down. "I'm inviting you because I like you. This way you can meet my friends in a more social setting and I can introduce you to my father."

Harry looked appalled at the thought. "Why would I want to meet your father?"

Which was a really good point. Why would Draco want Harry to meet his father when the only interest the other boy had in him was, well, down his pants. Beyond that, meeting his father indicated that Lord Malfoy knew about him and was either going to approve or scare Harry away from his precious son. No.

Harry was convinced this was probably a ploy to ensure that Harry understood that Malfoy junior was being serious in his pursuit without 1. ever saying he was interested and 2. having the option to rebuff all of Harry's possible future claims of 'but you said...'.

Draco chuckled. "He would want to meet you because I'm interested in you." He said softly, stepping into Harry's space and running a finger down his chest in what Harry assumed was meant to be sexually enticing. It wasn't.

Harry had to fight very hard not to take a step back. Draco was far too close for comfort and he very much didn't appreciate his lack of awareness. Then again, this was Draco and he probably would have done it anyway if he had known.

It was a subtle piece of brilliant social manoeuvring on Draco's part, really. Having gained such a highly coveted invitation, it would be social suicide (on all levels) to not accept. Harry was, essentially, being forced to go. Knowing Draco's motivation did nothing to stop his glee at getting exactly what he wanted without having to bribe or blackmail anyone into adding him as his plus one. It was a little brilliant, even if it seemed a little bit too easy. Of course, Draco was expecting him to be easy so that could possibly account for that feeling.

Did that make him a whore? Probably only if he actually let Malfoy have his way with him. Could he let Malfoy have his way with him? Harry looked at Malfoy's retreating back in interest and when the man in question looked back and winked at him, he scrunched up his nose in disgust and violently shook his head when the other man had stopped looking in his direction.

Nope. No whoring about in his future. It was almost a pity really, it could have been fun.


	6. The Game Is Afoot

_The Malfoy Yule celebration had always been the highlight of the Yule season according to gossipers. Lady Narcissa Malfoy was always elegantly dressed, Lord Malfoy always secured the best alcohol, and Heir Malfoy always had the best manners. It was the location for gossip, networking, and well-placed frivolity that would determine one's standing in society for the next year. Why, Lady Elora Tompson had made the mistake two Yule’s ago to openly mock Lady Narcissa's gown within her earshot and has since never been seen or heard from. The case of her disappearance is still ongoing and, sadly, not important to our tale._

~~~~~~~~

"Tom! Fancy meeting you here." Harry said with a big smile, waving obnoxiously at a horrified-looking Tom.

"No." Tom stated firmly before making a sharp left turn and leaving Harry by himself in the reception area.

Harry blinked at his sudden departure. "Well. That was rude."

"Harry!" Draco called out as he walked into the room.

"Shite." Harry uttered in horror before making a sharp right turn and disappearing from Draco's sight just as three new people floo-ed into the room.

In the three weeks Harry had before coming to the Malfoy Yule celebration, Hermione had taken every free second of his day to teach him the ins-and outs of figuring out who would be important to his future.

Example: while Lord Tripe was still a Lord, he was useless to Harry because he had lost his standing in society ever since his son had refused the hand of a Black and they were promptly kicked out of the 'important circles'. Lord Yaxley, on the other hand, was a scoundrel and a rake but had old connections and maintained them well thus being someone Harry ought to know.

According to Hermione, his mission tonight was to garner enough interest in himself that these Lords would either take him under their wing or see him as someone to keep their eye on in the future. Under no circumstances was he allowed to make a fool of himself and destroy her * _ahem_ * his chances of changing the world. Harry, being someone who hated being noticed in any sense, figured it would have been easier for her to ask if he could get Malfoy to stop bullying her. He wisely refrained from telling her this.

So Harry took a glass of a non-alcoholic beverage and, sipping it occasionally, made his way around the ballroom. He found Rabastan quite quickly and poked and prodded his friend to introduce him to a few of the more interesting players before allowing Rabastan his escape and integrating himself in a circle of the very Lords Hermione had pushed him to memorise. He had no idea how long he had been there 'networking' when he looked up and saw Tom speaking to Lord Blishwick, clearly engaging the older gentleman but also very clearly not understanding the unspoken hierarchy of needs since Lord Blishwick had no power to speak of. Come to think of it, how had Hermione figured it all out without being on the inside?

“Tom.” Harry said pleasantly as he walked over and interrupted their conversation. “So sorry to interrupt, but I'm afraid I need some expert advice for a few moments.” He let his eyes wander over to Lord Blishwick and allowed his face to turn regretful and slightly abashed.

“Not to worry, not to worry!” Lord Blishwick stated jovially before clapping an unprepared Tom on the shoulder. “I'll simply catch this brilliant young man later!” He continued before walking away.

Tom waited until the man was out of earshot before he turned his deadly eyes to Harry. “What, exactly, was that?”

“Didn't you do your homework?” Harry asked exasperatedly, not even moved by the death glare he was getting. It was almost expected now, really.

“Of course I did.” Tom bristled offended, clearly not understanding that his quick answer made him a liar.

“So you know that Lord Blishwick over there lost all his standing ten years ago when he married a pureblood lady and then left her for his muggleborn mistress?”

“I don't see what that has to do with doing my homework.”

“Because I know you and if you knew that you wouldn't have given him the time of day. “Harry replied with knowing look.

Tom narrowed his eyes. “Are you saying I'm incompetent now?”

Don't be absurd. Harry said with an eye roll. “Of course you're incompetent, you never had me around. Now let's go, I promised Lord Burke a different insight to the whole brownie uprising in Ireland.”

"You know," Tom said in a pondering tone as he allowed Harry to walk him over to Lord Burke, "sometimes I think you do things like this on purpose because you know how crazy it makes me."

"Purpose? Don't be ridiculous, I'm just helping."

"So it's a personality thing. I really wish I had never spoken to you that day in the library." Tom lamented wistfully.

Harry nodded in understanding. "Me too, but it's too late, we're friends now."

Tom scoffed. "Don't be idiotic, we are not friends. I ran away from you earlier."

"AHA! I knew it!" Harry proclaimed loudly, brandishing a finger towards Tom, who promptly smacked the offending digit away from his person.

"Keep your voice down!" Tom hissed at him, his eyes darting around them even as he stepped closer to Harry hoping that would get Harry to lower his voice.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Keep your wits about you Tom, here's Lord Burke now."


	7. Friendships Are Complicated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 updates today!

_Despite dear Harry's less than acceptable upbringing, he grew up to be a person who quickly either liked or disliked people. Once they were disliked, it tended to stick. If they were liked, such as with poor Tom Marvolo Riddle, it tended to stick harder. As Tom Marvolo Riddle would find out much too late, being liked by Harry was usually the best option. Sadly, Tom Marvolo Riddle's own terrible upbringing wrought havoc on his own trust capabilities and would land him in a mess of his very own making. Pity would be invoked for poor Tom Marvolo Riddle, but he was still an unlikeable boy then so there was none of that._

~~~~~~~~

"Now why would you do that?" Riddle murmured softly in his ear as they glided around the dance floor having left Lord Burke and several other prominent Lords when their wives descended for dances.

"What? Introduce you to people? That's just good manners Tom." Harry murmured back just as quietly. Harry knew he was being obtuse on purpose, but he did really enjoy riling Riddle up and judging by his suddenly stiff posture, it worked a treat.

"Potter." Riddle growled.

He couldn't help but chuckle. "Keep it in your pants, Riddle. It's just a little tit for tat. You gave me some advice a while ago, I'm just repaying the favour."

"So you're aware of what you're doing?"

Harry snorted as he rolled his eyes. "Of course I'm bloody aware of what I'm doing Riddle, I'm not an idiot. You have good ideas, even if your methods are...unorthodox. You just need an ‘in’ and if I can get you there faster, well then. My debt is paid."

Riddle leaned back far enough that they could look at each other. He had become so used to being scrutinized by Riddle that he wasn't even fazed by the hard stare.

"Ugh, now what?"

"You actually mean that."

"Of course I do." Harry replied a little affronted. "Why on earth wouldn't I mean it?"

Riddle narrowed his eyes. "You know why."

"Pureblood games." Harry sighed again. "And you know me better than that. At least you should, you've been stalking me for the past month." He grumbled under his breath.

Riddle's face did something complicated. "I have not."

"Not you personally." Harry acknowledged. "But your followers have." If Harry hadn't kept them dancing, Riddle would have frozen to the spot. "Merlin! Keep your wits about you, you idiot!" Harry chastised him, his eyes doing a quick sweep of the crowd. They were lucky that Draco had chosen to dance with the Greengrass Heiress and was garnering most of the attention that Riddle's little slip-up remained mostly unseen. It was stupidity to think that no one had seen.

"Followers?" Riddle said finally, having regained his constitution.

Harry grunted out a sigh. "For fucks sake, I really don't give a shit. I already told you I didn't agree with your methods, what the bloody hell did you think I meant?"

"Not that." Riddle muttered out sullenly.

Harry blinked, blinked again, and then a small smile appeared on his face. "Did...did I _surprise_ you?" Riddle rolled his eyes. "Oh, I did! I surprised the great Thomas Slytherin! Imagine that." Harry said smugly.

"Slytherin?" Riddle choked out. "For Merlin's _sake_! How much do you know?" He sounded both furious and resigned in equal measures. It came with the territory of knowing Harry.

Harry shrugged. "Nothing stays secret for long in these circles. You didn't really think you could hide it, did you?"

Riddle's ear turned a slight shade of red, belying Riddle's quick reply. "Of course not, I just didn't think it would be this quickly."

"Don't worry so much, for now it's just me. And Hermione. And maybe Ron, but that mostly depends on whether or not he wanted to pay attention to his homework. Fifty-fifty really."

"Granger knows?" Riddle almost snarled out.

"I'm a parselmouth." Harry revealed. "It was a whole thing."

"That...that doesn't even answer the question!" Riddle seethed out, squeezing Harry's hand painfully.

"Fuck, cut that shit out! Haven't I answered everything so far? We're in public for Merlin's sake, control yourself."

"No one is going to see me crush your hand, you imbecile!" Riddle hissed.

"You sure about that?" Harry growled as he nodded to Lady Richmond who was watching them closely.

"Alright fine, I won't murder you during the ball."

"Thanks so much." Harry said sarcastically. "May I continue now?"

"I will simply murder you later." Riddle said with a decisive nod.

"Fantastic. Then before you murder me, you can thank me for not having the basilisk kill all of the students because you're an idiot."

Tom choked on air. "What?"

"I found the Chamber in second year. Like I said, it was a whole thing."

"You... _you_ found it? In second year?"

"Hm." Harry hummed affirmatively as he narrowed his eyes in silent warning. That had sounded a little patronizing.

They danced in silence for the next few minutes while Tom wrapped his head around everything that Harry had told him.

Riddle cleared his throat. "So you know of my plans?"

"I do."

"For how long?" Harry decided making eye contact would result in a rapid decline of his health. "How long?" Tom pressed, angrier than anything so far.

"A few years." Harry forced out, looking uncomfortably at the ceiling.

"A few years." Tom gritted out. "And you haven't said anything to anyone."

"Well, besides Hermione." Harry replied, shrugging his shoulders lightly enough that only Riddle would notice.

"Granger." Tom snarled out.

"Why do people keep having that reaction when her name comes up?" Harry muttered with a frown.

"She's a mudblood." Riddle waved away.

Harry frowned at that since it didn’t seem very nice. "So where you until you discovered your history. Who's to say her story is any different?"

"She wouldn't be."

"Like you wouldn't be?" Harry challenged, aggravated and angry in defence of his best friend.

Tom grit his teeth and decided to change the topic. "So the just you two know? No one else?"

Harry considered the man in front of him for a few moments. "It wasn't in my best interests to do anything with the information." He said finally, opting for a half-truth that Tom would understand instead of a truth he wouldn't believe.

Harry just didn't care. It had nothing to do with him, their lives had never crossed paths before Draco and they probably wouldn't have met once they had both graduated. Harry wasn't interesting to Tom and Tom was too much of a loose canon for Harry's tastes.

Luckily for Harry's continued mental health the music came to a slow stop and forced them to part and bow. Deciding a tactical retreat was in order, He quickly turned around and lost himself in the crowd and could only be glad that Tom Stupid Riddle decided the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I usually don't do this, but now I'm sort of wondering so...comments? Anyone? I mean, I'll still keep posting because I'm having fun writing this one, but, well...  
> Thanks for reading either way!


	8. Wishing What You Want

_Fairy godmothers are tiny creatures that love to wreck havoc on human lives. Wizards and wizard kin have long since trembled in fear that their children would befriend such horrible creatures and leave them to clean up the rather large messes that were created after fairy godmothers granted wishes._ _In 1609 fifteen year old Anthony Mair had desperately wished for a birthday party to rival that of his older brother (a three day celebration that got terribly out of hand when someone spelled the party goers to never stop dancing). Unfortunately for his parents, a fairy godmother happened to be in the vicinity of Anthony at the time of a poorly timed deep sigh and was thusly lured into his dream coming true with a few carefully spun words._ _Needless to say, his party lasted the majority of eight months and had several prominent Houses going bankrupt as well as a magical flood destroying the entire area in an attempt to stop the frivolity. Anthony himself found love and happiness but his parents were prone to breaking out into fits of hysterical sobbing until their dying days. Nobody loves the cleanup. Needless to say, fairy godmothers are terrible creatures that thankfully play no part in our story._

~~~~~~~~

"May I have this dance?" Rodolphus Lestrange asked, appearing in front of Harry as if Harry had blinked him into existence.

Swallowing hard and staring wide-eyed at the man in front of him, he nodded his head quickly. He wasn't an idiot, this would most likely never happen again and he was going to take full advantage of not only being in Rodolphus' arms, but also being the recipient of his full attention. Frankly, he was lucky he hadn't gone weak at the knees yet.

"I haven't seen you here before." Rodolphus remarked as they took their places on the dance floor just as the last song came to a close.

"Never had the opportunity to attend before." Harry squeaked out. He cleared his throat, feeling the heat of embarrassment creeping up his face.

Rodolphus drew Harry into his arms as the first notes of the next song started and expertly led Harry around their fellow dancers. "And what is your opinion on the Malfoy's Yule celebration?"

"It's quite the celebration. I'm enjoying myself very much."

Rodolphus' lips twitched at the diplomatic answer. "I'm glad to hear it."

"And you?" Harry asked, trying not to sound as eager as he actually was.

"I always find myself enjoying the Malfoy celebrations. They have quite the ear for gossip." Rodolphus said on a cheeky wink.

Harry blushed scarlet before pulling himself together. "Is that so?"

"Quite. Why, I even heard that you were aquatinted with Tom Riddle."

"We share a few classes." Harry replied on a nod.

"Hm. More than that if you went about introducing him to the most prominent Lords at this soiree."

Harry nearly choked on 'soiree' but cleared his voice instead. Choking didn't make a good impression on a crush, after all. "Alright, he's an almost-friend but he doesn't know that yet so I have to take it slowly."

Harry was horrified to find that he was actually saying things that sounded true. With all the time he had been spending with Tom lately, he did sort of consider the other boy to be more than an acquaintance. What was the world coming to?

Rodolphus looked a bit dubious. "An almost-friend?"

"Are you aquatinted with Tom?" Harry asked instead, wondering why Rodolphus wanted to know so much about Riddle.

"Oh yes, we go back some time. I had wondered how he seemed to know the Potter Heir despite never hearing of you nor seeing you in any social circles before this very night."

"We're newly aquatinted, actually."

"Indeed? New acquaintances are something of a mystery to me. I find myself always wondering whether or not I can take them into my confidence." Rodolphus stated as he stared meaningfully into Harry's eyes.

Harry's shoulders sagged. "Oh. Yeah, that makes sense." And it did. Rodolphus Lestrange wouldn't just ask a nobody like Harry to dance unless he had an ulterior motive. In this case it was Tom making sure that Harry kept his mouth shut. He applauded Tom for using what he considered Harry's weakness against him like this, even if it did crush his soul a little.

Rodolphus' eyes flashed. "I don't follow."

Harry shook his head. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. Just tell him that I understand."

"Something I said bothered you." Rodolphus said slowly as they kept dancing.

"Not really anything you said." Harry replied, refusing to look at the man. "More something of a realization."

"That occurred when I spoke of new acquaintances? People generally don't have that sort of reaction to my ponderings."

"What sort of reaction?"

"Misery." Rodolphus said pointedly.

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really?" He deadpanned.

Rodolphus inclined his head as his eyes laughed at him. "Perhaps some of them." He amended.

"Well, there you go then." Harry said with a small smile.

"You won't tell me." Rodolphus prompted when Harry fell silent.

Harry shook his head. "No."

"I'll find out. " Rodolphus warned good-naturedly.

"I'm sure you will, it isn't really a secret." Harry replied lightly. He wasn't ashamed of his blatant longing for the older man but he hadn't wanted to make either of them uncomfortable with the reality of it.

"Thank you for indulging me." Rodolphus said after the music had stopped.

Harry smiled sadly at the other man. "Trust me, it was my indulgence. Have a good night, Heir Lestrange."

"And you, Heir Potter." Rodolphus replied softly, confusion in his face before they both turned to different groups to socialize once more.


	9. The Confusion of Information

_Dancing, as few know, is a prime way to find out if your aspiring partner has any sense of flexibility. It was discovered in 1367 by Alinar Tigh who courted his intended on the dance floor when she refused to adjust her dance to match his rather insane variation of a well-known ensemble. When later asked, the ex-intended was surprised anyone with any sense would ever accept the hand of one who refused to behave in a sensible manner at the appropriate of times. If he couldn't handle the original, she exclaimed, how was he supposed to handle anything that followed? It was a pity she died a fortnight later of acute poisoning since she had great sense._

~~~~~~~~

"I saw you dancing with my son earlier." Lord Lestrange said airily as he twirled Harry.

"He's a good dancer."

"He had better be, what with all of his lessons."

Harry smiled in delight. "It most certainly paid off. He's a delightful dancer."

"You are the Potter Heir, are you not?" Lord Lestrange asked, surprising Harry at the swift change in topic.

Harry nodded politely. "Yes sir, I am."

"The last of your line?"

"Yes sir."

"Your father was James Potter?"

"Yes sir."

"Your mother was Lily Potter?"

"Yes sir."

"And you are in love with my son?"

"Yes sir. Wait, hang on, no! No, no, no! That-I didn't mean that." Harry choked out, surprise and embarrassment creeping over his body.

Lord Lestrange raised an eyebrow. "What part of that was false?"

"The part-all of it!"

"So you are not the Potter Heir?"

"Ok, fine, most of it was true."

"Hm." Lord Lestrange looked far more amused than any man had a right to.

"He's promised you know." Harry said in a defensive tone, feeling slightly riled up.

A lip twitched. "I do know, I am his Head of House."

"So then you know I don't stand a chance."

"I could change the contract. It is within my right."

Harry huffed, partly out of irritation and partly out of despair. "He doesn't like me like that."

"I don't see how that is relevant."

"I'm not about to enter into a contract with a man who doesn't like me simply because I have feelings for him. That's...it's creepy."

"It is not uncommon." Lord Lestrange point out.

Harry nodded. "I know, but how many of those marriages are happy? Besides, we're both Heirs."

"I am well aware of this fact too." He replied dryly.

Harry blushed. "I only meant that we would be required to have children and neither of us would be capable of...bringing that to reality."

Lord Lestrange snorted in amusement. "Youth these days." He muttered with a fond look at Harry's bafflement. "I'm sure you have heard of surrogates? Or even blood adoption?"

"Nevertheless," Harry said feeling his face burn hotter, "the fact remains that he isn't interested and I won't force the issue."

Lord Lestrange gave him a long, heavy look just as the music slowed to a stop. "You will do just fine." He murmured before bowing gracefully to Harry before walking off.

"Bloody hell." Harry muttered in confusion. Were all of his dances going to be this emotionally confusing?


	10. Another Bought Of Interest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up! 3 chapters today!

_Families are terribly wonderful things to behold. It is a well-known fact that a horrible family is each horribly unique in its own way. Lesser known is that a wonderful family is each uniquely horrible to outside threats. Why, Lady Isabella Thompson witnessed her beloved sister played for a fool by a false suitor and comforted the poor dear. Two days later the scoundrel in question was found run over by a stampede of cows. How said cows came to wander about the inside of his manor was never properly investigated, but Lady's Thompson’s sister seemed altogether in greater spirits after the incident occurred and Lady Thompson’s family never said a cruel word about the extremely dead man afterwards._

~~~~~~~~

"Harry!” Rabastan announced joyfully as he clapped Harry on the shoulder. “Still here? Thought you would have gone bored by now."

Harry winced a little at the hard greeting. "So did I to be honest."

"So what brings you here?" His friend asked as he handed over a glass of champagne.

"Possible political future." Harry said on a shrug.

Rabastan nodded as if this made sense. "So I saw you dancing with my brother. And my father."

Harry made a pained sound. "It wasn't my fault! Tom Riddle was trying to send me a message through your brother and your father is nosey." Rabastan lifted an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh, don't even try it! We both know he is."

Rabastan had the nerve to chuckle. "My father is a lot of things, nosey is one of the last things on that list. He's taken an interest in you."

"Because I danced with your brother?"

"Because my brother has gone to hundreds of these sorts of soirees over the years and has never deigned to dance with a single person."

Harry huffed before gulping down his drink. "That doesn't seem true."

"And yet..." Rabastan trailed off with a pointed look. "Needless to say, you've sparked my fathers interest."

Harry cast him a weary eye. "You're not going to ask me what I'm going to do with his interest are you?"

Rabastan looked confused before he eyed Harry's empty glass. "How much have you been drinking exactly?"

"Not nearly enough."

"This is because you're suddenly hanging around Tom isn't it? You really need to stop doing that."

"Can't." Harry replied morosely. "We're friends now."

Rabastan barked out an incredulous laugh. "Tom Riddle does not do 'friends'."

"Someone ought to tell him that." Harry muttered mulishly into his glass as he glared at the dancers going past them.

"Just be careful Harry. I know you, you don't like being in the spotlight like Tom and he's bound to do something that hurts you."

Harry nodded and gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you."

Rabastan snorted. "Don't take it the wrong way. My brother and my father are both interested in you, it's in my best interests to keep you alive."

"What do you mean alive? And your brother does not have any interest in me. It's like I told you, he was doing Riddle a favour."

"The Lestranges don't do favours."

"You do." Harry countered with a snort.

Rabastan looked faintly alarmed. "Do I?"

"I asked you once to get Cho Chang to stop bothering me, remember?"

"Ah yes, Miss Chang.” Rabastan reminisced fondly. “Changed schools didn't she?"

It was Harry’s turn to snort now, watching Rabastan with an amused look. "Don't do favours eh?"

"That wasn't a favour, that was simply in my best interests."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Ah, Harry. Some things are better figured out on your own." Rabastan replied with a laugh before disappearing from view.


	11. Incompetent seductions

_Draco Lucius Malfoy had grown up in a fairly large house where being an only child meant being the apple of both his parent's eyes. By the time he reached toddlerhood, it was far too late for either parent to correct his behaviour. That was, naturally, if one assumed they cared for such things. Draco Lucius Malfoy was a product of his lavish upbringing and his over the top indulgences being met on a daily basis with little to no restraints in place since he was an Heir and was expected to be spoiled in the exact way he was. It is fair to say that during Draco Lucius Malfoy's rather long and boring life, nothing happened to make him either gain insight into his spoiled upbringing or make him regret it in any way._

~~~~~~~~

To Harry's dismay it had only taken a few hours for Draco to finally catch up with him and corner him into an actual corner.

"Harry."

"Malfoy."

"How about a tour around the manor? I know all of the interesting places." He suggested with a distinct leer.

Harry furrowed his brow. "Well you probably should, living here and all."

Malfoy blinked at him, a little stunned before visibly shaking it away. "Not quite what I meant."

"Did I see you dancing with Heir Greengrass earlier?" Harry quickly asked.

"Hm? Oh yes, we're betrothed." Malfoy stated offhandedly, leaning in far too closely for Harry’s liking.

"You are? Since when?"

"For some time now."

"And you're still..." Harry trailed off, his finger bouncing between the both of them.

"This is sex, Harry. Nothing serious."

"I'm not sure I agree with you."

"Oh.” Malfoy said as he rolled his eyes and took a step back. “You're one of those. Frankly, I had thought this would be easy and that after I'd never have to speak to you again, but this has become more trouble than it's worth. Not to mention the fact of how you drooled all over Heir Lestrange."

"Droo-I did not!" Harry spluttered out, heat creeping over his cheeks.

"Relax, Potter. This will be the most exciting thing that ever happened to you. Too bad it's over now."

"You do know we'll still see each other right?" Harry asked slowly as a stray thought popped up.

Malfoy lazily rolled his eyes. "Only until the end of the school year. Hardly forever now is it?" Malfoy said before becoming distracted by a woman throwing a saucy wink his way. Malfoy smirked and walked off without another word to Harry.

"Holy shit." Harry murmured in surprised as he watched Draco saunter away. "He has no fucking clue who I am."

"And who are you?" Tom asked softly, surprising Harry enough that he jumped a little. Where had he come from? Had he been listening in?

"I'm the Potter Heir." Harry replied after a pointed look from Tom when he took too long to calm his racing heart.

Tom frowned at him. "I know."

Harry laughed softly in surprised delight as he motioned towards a retreating Draco. "He doesn't."

The frown only got deeper. "He's trying to seduce you. He calls you 'Potter' almost every time he sees you."

Harry nodded, looking just as perplexed as Tom was probably feeling. "I know. And before you ask, no I have no idea how he doesn't know."

"Seems unlikely."

"And yet..."

"Huh." Tom replied, both of them turning to look at Draco.

Honestly, by the time Draco realized the importance of his Heir status, Harry and Riddle would already be fully immersed in the political world. They would have more sway, more power than Draco had ever imagined. Draco was a small time player and Harry wanted to play with the big boys.

"I think it's a good thing he's not in your, ahem, study group."

"Subtle." Riddle snarked, aggravated. "I didn't recruit him because I had another way in."

"Lord Malfoy?" Harry inquired softly. Riddle merely inclined his head. "Clever."

"Anyone would think me stupid from the way you keep being surprised." Tom bit out.

This time Harry laughed outright. "I don't think you're stupid, I think you like to break down doors instead of trying to knock."

"What does that even mean?" Tom grit out.

"It means," Harry said soothingly, "that I expected you to recruit the man-whore over there and then use him as leverage against his father. Gaining the father's allegiance first is the easier way to handle them. Oh my Merlin." Harry breathed out in slow surprise as Tom remained silent. "That's exactly what you wanted to do, wasn't it?"

"I never said that." Tom replied quickly, a touch too defensive to be believed.

"Didn't have to." Harry said gleefully.

Riddle glared at him with all the hatred in the world before he stalked off. Harry nodded in understanding. He would run from that kind of embarrassment too.


	12. Nosy Teachers are the Worst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short note to point out that Brian is a perfectly lovely name! Don't hate - appreciate ;)

_Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was a man with far too many names. One might argue that the overabundance of names had given him the false sense of entitlement as he had grown up, but those in the know have made it clear that it had always been a rather large character flaw. This character flaw enabled him to pass judgement on those around him, and as is pertinent to our tale, in particular the students he taught. Dear Harry was one of those students and was unfortunate enough (probably due to the series of events that we have described previously) to attract the attention of the man with far too many names. Honestly, what were his parents thinking? No child should be subject to that amount of ridicule. Brian? Preposterous._

~~~~~~~~

"Mr Potter, a word please?" Professor Dumbledore asked with a raised voice in order to be heard over the chatter of leaving students.

"What did you do?" Hermione demanded as she turned to Harry, a fiercely stern look on her face.

"How should I know?" Harry replied with a shrug.

"It's probably got something to do with your homework." Ron remarked with a pointed look at Harry's scribbling that were supposed to be his notes but were extensive drawings instead.

"I'll tell you later." Harry mumbled as he shooed them out the door and stuffed his books and papers into his school bag. "Professor?"

Professor Dumbledore stared at him an uncomfortably long moment before speaking. "How are you, Mr. Potter?"

"Well, thank you. And yourself?"

"Quite well, thank you. This is perhaps a rather odd line of questioning, but I must ask you to bare with me."

"All right."

"Are you acquainted with Draco Malfoy?"

"That is odd." Harry agreed. "Erm, in the general sense? I mean, no not really, I know of him but everyone does."

"I see." Professor Dumbledore remarked and Harry seriously doubted he did. "So how did you manage to join the Malfoy Yule festivities?"

"How is this relevant to Transfiguration?" Harry asked in the same moment he wondered how on earth Dumbledore had known about him being there.

"As I said, bare with me." Professor Dumbledore remarked instead of answering, something Harry was not a fan of.

"Malfoy invited me." Harry said on a grimace.

Professor Dumbledore frowned heavily. "Mr Potter, you just indicated that you and Mr. Malfoy were not friends."

Was he in trouble? Seemed like an odd thing to be in trouble for, given the topic. "And we aren't. He, uh, was being nice."

"And that is where you met Tom Riddle." Professor Dumbledore concluded with a decisive nod.

Harry looked askance at Professor Dumbledore now, wondering what the hell was going on. "Sir, would you mind getting to the point just a bit quicker? Only, your interest in my personal life is starting to feel a bit...odd." Which was putting it nicely. The man was creeping him out. A lot.

"I suppose I ought to if that's the impression I'm giving you. I merely mean to caution you with any dealings you might have with Tom Riddle."

Harry scrunched up his face in confusion, only some of it faked. "Dealings? Tom Riddle?"

"Tom is someone I feel I should caution you against."

"The Head Boy? Caution me? You want to caution me against the top student in our year and the Head Boy? Why? Because he wants me to be a better student?" Beside the odd topic and the rather forceful way he was being interrogated, Harry decided he was going to have a bit of fun with this, now that he knew where Dumbledore wanted to go with his little speech.

"Mr Riddle is not someone who I would advise you to seek out." Dumbledore re-iterated, looking at Harry as if he wasn’t quite sure if Harry was playing with him or if he was being genuine.

"Because of his top notch grades?"

"I merely aim to caution you."

"Ah-huh." Harry said, stretching the sound out to put as much disbelief into the word as possible. He really enjoyed Dumbledore's eye twitching at the sound and the heavy sigh that came after.

"That would be all, Mr. Potter. Just remember my words."

"Ok Professor." Harry said with a nod before turning around and walking out of the classroom, almost immediately bumping into a waiting Ron and Hermione. "Have you guys ever noticed how much Dumbledore watches Tom?"

" _Professor_." Hermione moaned out in exasperation.

Ron shrugged. "Don't all professors watch Riddle? He's like, the golden child or something."

"He's only a couple of points ahead of me, it's not like it’s hard to do." Hermione huffed.

"You don't think he's interested do you?" Harry wondered out loud, knowing quite well the man was interested, just not in the way he was indicating.

"In what?" Ron asked, already losing interest in Harry’s odd thought process.

"In Riddle?" Hermione questioned looking faintly ill.

Ron caught on quickly. "Like, romantically?"

"We've seen weirder things." Harry pointed out.

Ron looked slightly constipated. "But teachers are...old."

"Is there a point to this ridiculous conversation?" Hermione finally asked.

"Dunno. That's why I'm asking you two."

Hermione let out a sound of frustration. "Then feel free to let me tell you there isn't. This isn't a topic that's even remotely ok to be even thinking about."

Harry nodded. "Sure, but I wasn't the one who kept a student back after class to interrogate him about another student I only have a passing acquaintance with."

Ron and Hermione shared looks of dismay. "You really have a way with words, mate."

Harry shrugged. It wasn't his fault they didn't notice the weird things happening around them all the bloody time. Did they even know Hagrid had smuggled his fully giant half-brother into the forbidden forest?


	13. Love's Wish

_Not many know the mystical meaning of a beautiful evening or morning red that paints the sky. Many do have various superstitions that are linked to the rain and the tides, but as everyone who knows anything knows that it’s all tosh and poppycock. The slash of red at night is only an indication that the root of all evil is trying to break through the thin barrier between our world and the one it inhabits. The soft warmth of a lovely rosy morning is love’s hope and a sign of peace that urges all lovers deeper into the arms of their beloved. And also a victory slogan that that bastard has to spend another 3,896 years trying to find a way in, but we hate to stand in the way of love. Dear Harry never did like to ponder the look of lovers._

~~~~~~~~

"Tom! Tom, Tom, Tom! Guess what?"

"You've finally decided to be done with me."

"Not even close, Rodolphus has asked to Court me!" Harry practically squealed.

Tom lifted an eyebrow in heavy rebuke. "The excitement is practically overwhelming."

"Isn't it just? He likes me, Tom! He likes me." Harry stated with a certain amount of reverence to which Tom simply rolled his eyes.

"Is this conversation over yet?"

"Never!" Harry declared happily as he plopped down next to Tom and made himself right at home.

Tom sighed deeply, the sound of a man who had given up all hope of Harry acting in any way reasonable. "Why do I put up with you?"

"Because you secretly like me and we're going to be the only two young people in the political circuit when we graduate so it only makes sense to be friends."

"I honestly wonder where you get these delusions from. I have written to St. Mungo's to inquire about getting you admitted but they think it's just N.E.W.T. stress." Harry made an affronted noise as he glared at Tom. "What about Malfoy junior?" He continued before Harry could say anything.

"What about him?"

"If you are contracted to a Lestrange, he would be foolish to continue his line of mediocre/sub-par seduction."

Harry shrugged. "You'd think so but so far all he's done is back off."

"Isn't that the point?"

"Nah, he's waiting for it all to fall apart."

"Fall apart." Riddle stated slowly.

Harry hummed in agreement. "He's backed off which, I'm not going to lie, is very nice but he's not quiet about the fact that he believes the Courtship won't last. He doesn't really care about me specifically but I'm 'the one that got away'."

"Despite the fact that you gave him absolutely no indication of wanting him back."

"Well." Harry stated with a pondering sound. "Not 'no' indication, there was some indication, but now there's no indication."

"Please leave. Tom said on a glare. My brain is going to mush simply from listening to you and I have better things to do with my time than listen to you prattle on.

"You asked me!" Harry said, quite indignant.

"And now I'm asking you to leave."

"Why can't you just accept that you like me?"

"Why can't you accept I don't."

"I'll win you over. In the meantime, what should I do?"

"About Malfoy?"

"Who cares about Malfoy? I'm talking about Rodolphus."

"I cannot honestly believe I'm having this conversation with you." Tom lamented loudly. "Is there anything to do? I assume you already accepted the suit."

"I did." Harry nodded dutifully.

"Then what, exactly, is the issue?"

"Well, I can't exactly be too keen, can I?"

"What." Tom deadpanned.

"And that's where you come in. You're excellent at not caring and I need your advice to tone down my..."

"Ardour. Pathetic pinning. Obsession." Tom added helpfully.

"All right all right, steady on. No need for that."

"There's no need for this conversation." Tom shot back. "As a matter of fact, I have the perfect solution."

"You do?"

"Yes." Tom stated before gathering his things and walking away.

"I thought we were past this!" Harry shouted at his retreating back. The glare he got in return did wonders for his disposition.


	14. Friends Are Terrible At Good News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four chapters today so if you didn't pick that up, go back!!!!!

_While shared delusions are usually a sign that something is greatly amiss in one's environment, a delusion held by a single person is usually helped by friends, in either a good or bad direction. In this case, Hermione Jean Granger and Ronald Bilius Weasley were the sceptical sort and were also usually the sort to help bring Harry back down to reality. Apart from the minor situation with Harry's escaped convict godfather. Or that time he was convinced there was a Basilik living under the school. Or that Harry had stumbled upon the Philosopher's stone in his first year. Or that Hagrid had put his fully giant half-brother up in the forbidden forest. Frankly, his friends were in the habit of doubting the world around Harry with such harshness that he felt it acceptable to tell them everything and be happy in the knowledge that they wouldn't believe him. It made his life far easier without Hermione Jean Granger worrying for his physical well-being, despite her currently worrying about his mental well-being._

~~~~~~~~

“He asked to Court you?” Hermione asked, doubt almost visible in the way she asked.

“Well, no, not quite like that. Lord Lestrange sent me a contract and I accepted.”

“So you don't know that he actually likes you?” Ron wondered, a worried look creasing his brow.

Harry wrinkled his nose in confusion. "Why would he Court me if he didn't like me?"

Ron and Hermione shared a look. “Political gain?”

Harry scoffed. “They're Lestranges. They don't need anything, they quite literally have it all.”

“You can't 'literally' have it all.” Hermione scoffed.

“Fine. They have mostly everything.”

“You're just saying that because you like Rodolphus.” Ron pointed out.

“Who wouldn't?” Harry asked in wonder.

Hermione squinted at him. “His betrothed?”

“Ah.”

“Yeah, ah.” Ron nodded.

“What _does_ happen to her now?” Hermione wondered.

“Nothing.” Ron said on a shrug. “Not yet anyway. If the suit is successful then she gets the notice that their contract has ended but since she's only, what, ten? She's got plenty of time to find someone new.”

“But she's a Black.” Hermione pointed out. “And she's also completely head over heals for the man despite the age difference. She doesn't sound like the type to take that laying down.”

“She's ten.” Harry remarked. “If this does go well, we'll be out of Hogwarts by the time she enters it.”

“Avoidance?” Hermione asked Ron while they both stared at Harry.

“Avoidance.” Ron nodded solemnly.

“And you're sure this is what you want?” Hermione asked again.

Harry nodded firmly. “Since I was eleven.”

Ron sighed deeply. “I'm not sure that's good decision making skills. Eleven year olds aren't great at that sort of thing.”

“If he wasn't interested, then why did I get the contract?” Harry finally huffed out, irritated they weren’t as over the moon as he was.

“Because his father sent it.” Hermione said logically.

“I don't like you guys anymore.”

“We're just saying, be happy but also be suspicious because there's something more to this and I rather like you without the heartbreak.”

“I suppose that's a nice thought.”

“You're the only one who listens to me when I revise and I need my study buddy.” Hermione continued.

“You’re a horrible person and I hope you fail all your exams.” Harry huffed out before walking away.

“Harry!” Hermione uttered in a mixture of scandalized and terrified. “Don’t even say that! You don’t really mean that, do you? Harry? Harry!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!


	15. Never a Straight Answer

_Library's, as many may know, are building that house the most dangerous artifacts known to man. Many have been frequently warned away from such places for the good of one's own health, but as man has shown many a times: deterring someone only makes them more curious. Of course, that was not the case for Analora Boll who refused to set foot in one until her sixtieth year when her son dragged her into one to show her how ridiculous her 'superstitions' were. Upon turning his back to her to gesture to the room at large, a large bookcase mysteriously toppled over and squashed poor Analora dead. Her son, horrified by the consequences of his actions, swore never to set foot in another library. To this very day, no Boll descendent had ever stepped into a library for fear of immediate death. Clever of them, really, what with the curse and all._

~~~~~~~~

"Why do you even like me?" Tom demanded as he cornered Harry in the library.

"Tom?" Harry asked in bewilderment.

"Half of the time you seem to avoid me at all costs and the other half you're prancing towards me, chattering about useless things and being a general nuisance."

"What? What's going on?"

"And this ridiculous notion of friendship." Tom sneered. "My life has turned into chaos the minute you touched it and I've had more than enough!"

"Is this going to become a thing? You and me in the library? Oh. That sounds a little sordid, but I'm not interested in you."

"Thank heavens for that, I could not imagine a worse partner than you."

"Are you getting to the point or are you here just to insult me again?"

"This is ridiculous and it has got to stop."

"I'd like to point out that you found me, not the other way around."

"Stop being obstinate about this, damnit! Just answer the bloody question!"

"What question? All you've done is yell at me!" Harry yelled at Tom.

"Why do you like me?" Tom roared out in frustration. The two of them blinked in shock at each other in the silence that followed, each turning a shade of red that suited neither of them very well.

"I like you because I like you." Harry said finally, shrugging helplessly since he didn't really understand it himself.

"That's it? That's all? That cannot be all, that hardly explains anything!"

"I don't really understand what you want." Harry said hesitantly, wondering if an exciting life lead to confrontations such as these.

"I want a proper answer! Not a half-witted supposition!"

"I suppose I could explain it best like this: Ginny Weasley is bothering me."

"How the bloody hell is that helpful?!"

"Would you let me finish you nob? Fucking _honestly_. Now. Ginny Weasley is dating Dean Thomas and we've all been pretty happy for her to do it, except Ron of course but he doesn't really count since he's her brother."

"I wouldn't know." Tom said frostily.

"Well, she told me the other day that the only reason she's dating Dean is to make me jealous."

"Highly impractical, you're useless at picking up hints even when they're thrust in your face."

"Git. But fair.” Harry nodded. “Also, I'm not interested. Which is what I told her when she told me this whole thing."

"She told you she was dating another person in hopes to gain your attention?"

"I thought it was stupid too, but who knows how girls think. Anyway, now she's convinced I'm playing hard to get and has gone and dragged poor Dean into making out with her every time I show up anywhere near her."

"I'm sure 'Dean' is delighted." Tom said snidely.

"Why are you saying his name like that?” Harry wondered with a frown. “He's a real person you know."

"I. Do. Not. Care." Tom hissed out, leaning towards Harry in a very threatening manner.

Harry just shrugged. "Anyway, that was a few days ago and I think she's starting to get the hint that it's not impressing me, so now she's started to throw herself at me and Dean is starting to give me suspicious looks."

"Hardly a problem, just tell him about your irrational obsession with Rodolphus."

"Hurtful, but a good point."

"What does this have to do with my question?"

"Dunno. Wanted to talk to someone about it that didn't have a direct line to the Weasley's and since we're friends you're it."

"I will murder you." Tom hissed angrily before stomping out of the library.

"Why always with the murder?" Harry called out after him, causing Ms. Pince to look at him with a severe expression that cowed him immediately. Librarians were scary.


	16. News to be Dreamed

_Owl biology, as various Unspeakables have noted, is terrifyingly ordinary. When first thought to use owls for postal services in 1285, Bernard Augustus discovered a rare and terrifying progression in his postal owls: they understood him. Horrified by the implication that an owl could understand to whom the letter was addressed, he became convinced he had unintentionally taught his owls how to read. To make sure they weren't reading his very private correspondence with his mistress, he decided to write the name of his wife on the letter while telling them to bring his missive to his mistress. To his great surprise the owl did go to his mistress but when the mistress opened the letter addressed to his wife, she falsely assumed it was indeed for his wife and in a fit of anger at her lovers betrayal (to his own wife we might add, however mistaken) confronted the wife. Needless to say, none of them left un-cursed that day and vowed to get even with the other for the rest of their lives. Shortly after that the Unspeakables were able to conclusively conclude that owls very definitely might not be able to read. Possibly._

~~~~~~~~

"What's that?" Hermione asked as she peered at the owl that landed next to Harry.

"An owl." Harry stated as he took the letter.

Hermione grit her teeth. "I see that, what's the letter say?"

"It's from Rodolphus." Harry stated happily as he read through the letter. "He wants to go out on a date! A date! With Rodolphus! Can you imagine?" Harry asked as he hugged the letter tightly to his chest as he stared dreamily out into the world.

"Stare a little bit to the left Harry, if you would." Ron mumbled as he looked up.

"Hm?"

"You're staring dreamily at Malfoy." Ron told him.

Horror splashed across his features as he blinked back into the world and saw that Malfoy was winking at him suggestively. "Oh gross."

"That's what you get with irresponsible dreaminess." Hermione stated primly.

"And what's responsible dreaminess then?" Harry wondered.

"The enchanted ceiling mate, everyone knows that." Ron stated factually as Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Well I never had to, how was I supposed to know?"

"You know now. So, what does he want? Besides the date?" Hermione clarified.

"Oh, um, just that? A date. He wants to meet this Friday after classes so we can go to dinner together."

"That's...yeah." Hermione said with a nod

"He'll take you somewhere mildly fancy." Ron informed Harry.

"Mildly fancy?

"Well, he's a pureblood and an heir so he can't go to some dingy place can he? Not unless he wants the world to think he's either stingy or doesn’t have any money. Since you're still in Hogwarts it won't have to be fancy _fancy_ , so you get mildly fancy."

"Do we have a mildly fancy place in Hogsmeade?"

"Who says you'll stay in Hogsmeade?" Ron asked perplexed. “He's old enough to apparate, remember?”

"He'll apparate me?" Harry asked as his face lit up in joy.

"Oh boy. We've lost him." Ron sighed despondently.

Hermione snorted. "Did we ever really have him?"

"Someone should prepare him for his date."

"And we shouldn't?" Hermione asked, a dangerous tone to her voice.

"He's a Lestrange, different rules for people that rich and influential." Ron objected.

"Doesn't he have a brother?" Hermione asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah, Harry hangs around him sometimes, don't you mate?" Ron asked, nudging Harry to pay attention.

Harry jolted back down to earth and peered at Ron in confusion. "Hm? Who?"

"Lestrange's brother."

"Rabastan? What about him?"

"You need some advice." Hermione said slowly.

"About what?"

"About dating a pureblood and a Lestrange."

"Oh!" Harry said with a big smile that made his friends worry about their mental health. "No need to worry, I already got all the pointers I need from Rabastan."

"Oh boy." Hermione stated with trepidation as they lost Harry to his daydreaming again.

Ron snorted. "You can say that again."

"I'd rather not jinx us too much." Hermione sighed despondently.


	17. Clarity Comes at a Price

_Having everything you’ve ever dreamed come true causes many of use to become blind to the truths around us. Having spent several dates on cloud nine, dear Harry simply couldn’t imagine how anything could possibly go wrong. Until date number five. It was at that precise moment that Harry's joyful bubble of happiness burst into a large wet shimmer of heartbreak. Harry, you see, had been so completely blinded by his own luck and subsequent happiness, that he forgot to factor in two very important people in Rodolphus' life: his father and his Lord. The sad truth of life is that once you see something you hadn't been aware of before, it becomes almost impossible to ignore, even if you wish you could._

~~~~~~~~

“Wait.” Harry said, throwing out his arm to stop Rodolphus in his tracks as his mind worked overtime. “You-I-you asked me out. You asked to court me.”

Rodolphus cocked his head and surveyed Harry with disinterest. “So I did.”

"Did..." Harry swallowed thickly as fear slowly unfurled in his veins, "did you not want to court me?"

"My father indicated that it would be prudent to get to know you." Rodolphus stated as his attention was caught by an acquaintance passing them.

Harry didn't know a heart could break like this. Harry didn't know that you could feel this much pain without being physically injured. When had his blood turned to ice? When had it become so difficult to breathe? When had the noises stopped? All he could focus on was the fact that Rodolphus had never wanted Harry, had never even seen him as an option and that his father had made him court Harry.

"So you're here because Lord Lestrange forced you to be here?" Harry asked, noticing only then that Rodolphus hadn't even been paying attention to him while his world had been falling to pieces around him. He wished that small fact hadn't sent another ice pick into his heart. He wished his mind hadn't gone back over all of the casual indifferent gestures Rodolphus had given him while he stared at the man with his heart in his eyes. How had he missed this so completely? How had he been so blind?

"Partly." Rodolphus said carelessly. "I'm also here because Lord Slytherin indicated that he viewed this as a good match."

Harry's world crumbled. The man he was in love with was being pressured by the two most powerful figures in his life to court Harry. He wanted to stop, he wanted everything to stop just for a single moment so he could breathe, so he could figure this out properly and know why Tom would do something like this to him. He didn't want to look back at his first date with the man of his dreams and realize everything he had been thinking and hoping was the exact opposite. Because Rodolphus wasn't there for him, wasn't there because Harry was suddenly interesting or handsome or even liked. Rodolphus was here because he was forced to be. Did Rodolphus even like men? He was betrothed to a woman after all, and oh god, what had he done?

Was all of this just a massive plot to humiliate him? Had they all just bandied together to make a fool out of him? He hadn't known that he had turned away from Rodolphus until the man had grabbed his shoulder in an attempt to move them along, an attempt that ended with Harry shrugging off his hand and taking a large step back.

"Heir Potter?" He asked, confusion lacing his voice and a frown on his face. "Are you-are those tears?"

Heir Potter. Polite. Distant. Uninterested. How many times had he failed to notice that it had never been 'Harry'?

Harry frowned as he raised his hand to wipe his face, his fingers coming away wet. Of course he was crying. In public. As the man he loved crushed every hope he had ever had.

"Allergic reaction." He replied instead, wiping his face with his sleeve and erasing the evidence.

He looked up at the politely confused face in front of him and felt his heart break again. More evidence that the man simply didn't care.

Harry cleared his voice, determined to get this out without embarrassing himself further. "Heir Lestrange, thank you for allowing me to experience the first stages of courtship together, however it has become clear to me that our interests are simply too diverse to match. For this reason I regret having to tell you that I am formally ending our courtship and wish you all the best in your future endeavors."

"'Future endeavors'?" Rodolphus parroted, surprised confusion lighting up his face. "Ending our courtship? What, exactly, is happening here?"

"It was-," heartbreaking, soul crushing, a sham, a plot to humiliate him "nice to meet you. Do send my regrets to your father and relay my best wishes and hope there is no ill-will between us."

"Did I miss something?" Rodolphus asked, anger sliding in with his confusion as Harry continued on.

Harry looked at the man he loved and closed his eyes as he laughed brokenly and tried to hold back his tears. "Everything." He said as he opened his eyes again. "Nothing." He amended helplessly as he realised that Rodolphus had never been interested in him and he was the only one who was losing anything today. "Not a damn thing. Have a nice day, Heir Lestrange." Harry said as he shook his head and walked away.

Rodolphus didn't stop him.


	18. Harden Your Weary Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four chapters today!

_Heartbreak, even one-sided, breaks something important in one's self that one would never quite realize was capable of being broken in the first place. A broken friendship, an altogether different kind of heartbreak, is usually one that consists of a different kind of betrayal and a deeper wound that one might believe to be the case. Dear Harry had protected his heart and his self to such an extent that he had been convinced neither version would ever occur to him. After one such heartbreak, it only stands to reason that Harry went out to search for the other._

~~~~~~~~

"Did you order Heir Lestrange to court me?" Harry asked Tom as soon as he found the man.

Tom looked up from his homework with a frown, probably because he was in the quiet section of the library and hated it whenever anyone interrupted him there.

"I did. You're welcome." Tom said absently as he turned back to his homework.

Harry tried not to sigh at the casual confirmation of a broken trust. "I broke it off."

Tom's head snapped up. "You did what?"

"I broke it off." Harry repeated as he watched a vein throb in Tom's temple.

Tom hissed at him in anger. "Why would you do that? I handed you the perfect opportunity to get to know him better!"

"You ordered the person I was interested in to court me." Harry corrected, wishing he could be as angry as Tom was right now. It would probably be better than the apathy he had been living with for the past few days.

"Of course I did." Tom replied, like it was the most logical answer in the world and Harry was simply too stupid to figure it out.

"Why?" Harry asked directly, feeling like he already knew the answer but wanted the confirmation of it anyway.

Tom looked affronted. "What do you mean 'why'?"

"Why did you do that? You said yourself you didn't think it was even worth my time since Heir Lestrange didn't know I existed and then you turn around and order him to court me."

Tom grit his teeth in clear aggravation. "And how do you repay me? By breaking it off!"

"He wasn't interested in me." Harry emphasized, hoping Tom would understand the problem, hoping Tom could see how desperately he had fucked everything up and killed any chance Harry ever had with Rodolphus.

Riddle simply rolled his eyes. "So what?"

Harry groaned in frustration as he dragged a hand down his face. "Tom. You ordered one of your lackeys to court someone they didn't know."

"Which gave you the perfect opportunity to garner yourself a bonding contract. Which you bungled."

"You ordered him to court me."

"You keep saying that like it means something!"

"It does! Why did you do it?" Harry pressed fiercely, needing to know and hating the possibility of betrayal.

"Because you introduced me to influential people at the Malfoy Yule celebration! Are you happy?" Tom hissed dangerously at him.

Harry almost sagged in relief and disappointment. "Returning the favour. This was, what, payment?"

"I don't like debts."

"It was a friendly gesture, Tom." Harry said finally, tiredly. He was tempted to just walk away and never have to deal with Tom again, but he wondered if that was even possible now.

"We are not friends." Tom spat at him, his magic rising with his temper.

Harry stared at Tom sadly as Tom stared at Harry with loathing. "No." Harry said with a sad shake of his head. "No, I guess we're not. Have a good year Riddle." Harry turned on his heels and walked away, neither stopping nor looking back and wondering how he was going to get back to his peaceful life after all that excitement.

Riddle didn't stop him.


	19. Studying is Important For the Heartbroken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta! Mistakes all around!

_Avoidance is one of the many things all humans have in common. Not only is it a profoundly unique way to handle the messy side of life, it is also frequently used as an excuse to ignore giant red flags. For instance, a young man creeping into a girl’s bedroom and staring at her all night long only for her to wake up one night and think it's romantic. Avoidance. Of what you may ask? Clearly some deeply seated abandonment issues that need to be discussed with a licensed therapist. Dear Harry, however, found that red flags and avoidance were usually key in making his life turn back into the well-oiled machine it had been before meeting Tom Marvolo Riddle. Of course dear Harry's life was one big red flag and thus had no concept of how to handle or deal with emotions of any kind. Tom Marvolo Riddle could have learned something from him._

~~~~~~~~

"Well." Hermione said with a deep sigh. "I did say I didn't want Harry with a broken heart."

Ron nodded in agreement as they both watched an exceptionally concentrated Harry finish his homework. "I remember. He cursed you to- _mph_."

"You don't have to repeat it!" Hermione hissed angrily after slapping her hand over Ron's mouth. "Being cursed once is enough for me, thank you very much!"

"For the last time, he didn't actually curse you!" Ron stated as he slapped her hand away.

"He might have!" She insisted.

"But he didn't. And he's an even better study buddy now than before his heartbreak."

"I can still hear you." Harry said mildly, not looking up from his work.

"Just look at him! He hasn't stuck his nose out of his books for the past three weeks! He might even beat you on your exams." Ron continued on, happily ignoring Harry.

"He-WHAT?" Hermione thundered.

Harry rolled his eyes at her distress. "I'm not going to beat you on our N.E.W.T.S, calm down."

"But Ron just said-"

"And when do you ever listen to Ron?"

She nodded in acceptance. "That's true. He's usually the person I go to to know what not to do."

"Oi!” Ron objected. “I give great advice!"

A throat clearing made them silent as they turned around to face the interloper. Harry had done his best to ignore and flat out avoid Riddle since the- _since_ , so he merely stared at Riddle and waited for the Head Boy to speak.

"I'm here to make amends." Riddle announced after an uncomfortably long and drawn out silence.

"Are you now?" Harry asked disinterested as Hermione and Ron looked positively bewildered.

Riddle sighed deeply like Harry was being difficult on purpose. "I was wrong to meddle, I see that now." He stated, and if Harry wasn't wrong it sounded distinctly rehearsed.

"Enlightening. Go away." Harry demanded as he flipped the page of his book.

"I'm making amends." Riddle hissed at him, even taking the time to glare at Ron and Hermione who stayed in their seats to watch this train wreck happen in front of their very eyes.

Harry sighed deeply before putting down his quill and looking Riddle square in the eye. "What do you want from me Riddle? You said we weren't friends, you paid your debt, and you clearly don't want me around, so what are you doing?"

Riddle clenched his hands into fists and hissed dangerously at Harry before striding off angrily without a word.

"Well." Ron stated, bemused. "So that happened."

"I think you threw him off his game." Hermione gleefully crowed. "I could win!"

Ron and Harry groaned in annoyance. "Seriously?" Harry asked her.

"What? Like he wouldn't take my emotional distress as a tactical advantage to crush me?" Hermione replied, offended and defensive.

Ron snorted. "Riddle doesn't do emotional distress. I'm not sure he knows what emotions are."

"Who cares what Riddle is or isn't." Harry stated as he picked up his quill and turned back to his homework. "Not our friend, not our problem."


	20. Nightmares Can Be Good Dreams Too

_They say that bad things happen in threes. In dear Harry's limited experience, bad things always happened and numbers had very little to do with it. So, really, he should have foreseen the events that happened on the fourteenth of that month, but it being only the third, we suppose it's only understandable that he missed the signs. And the chocolates. And the blood pops. And the rather lovely floral arrangement that tried to kill anyone that tried to touch it other than Harry himself. Frankly, it takes a certain type of man to ignore a great deal of courting in favour of obliviousness and broken-hearted pining. We call them idiots. Nicely of course, as they're still fragile in their distress._

~~~~~~~~

"What the fuck?" Harry breathed out in horror.

"What's going on?" Ron asked alarmed.

"Heir Lestrange is writing to me." Harry declared as he waved a letter in Ron’s face.

"That's a bad thing?" Ron asked cautiously as he dodged a rather vicious swipe.

"Uh, did you miss the part where he doesn't like me?"

"He didn't know you."

"He didn't give a shit about me." Harry corrected. "So why is he writing to me?"

Ron shrugged. "What does it say?"

"He's asking how I'm doing. Why is he asking how I'm doing? Fucking hell, if this is Riddle trying to 'make amends' again I'm going to fucking torture the shit out of him."

Ron nodded as if Harry plotting torture as a common thing. "As fun as that is, why would he do that?"

"Because he thinks this sort of thing is normal." Harry declared with another waving of the incriminating letter.

"Sure, when he has to even out a debt, but this isn't a debt anymore. He might be doing this because he likes you." Ron pointed out helpfully.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Are you actually helping his case here?"

"Not intentionally no, but it doesn't seem like him to play games this cruel."

"Lots of things don't seem like him and are his doing." Harry stated as he rolled his eyes.

Ron sighed in defeat. "Alright, so, what are you going to do?"

"Tell him thanks for asking and fuck right off."

"I thought you liked him?"

"All dreams have to die ugly deaths, my friend."

"That's more than a little depressing and you can't honesty believe that, do you?"

"Both Riddle and his father forced him to court me, what do you want from me right now?" Harry bit out, resentment written all over his face.

Ron held up his hands. "Nevermind, write away. I'll just sit here and watch the show."


	21. Indifference Kills Heart Wishes

_Stuart Ellison, a forty-two year old man, was in the habit of being a single minded individual who frequently found himself being utterly obsessed with the growing of grass. While he had quite the array of awards for his intensely detailed findings, he was sadly lacking in the love department. That was, of course, only according to him. According to the rest of society, Stuart Ellison had been courted for a full three years without ever noticing. In fact, he seemed particularly surprised that he had been married and was heard to proclaim that he thought he had stumbled into a rather delightful party. He was a fortunate fellow to have a wife who loved him for his money and became rather fond of his absentminded ways._

~~~~~~~~

"Heir Potter."

Harry tried not to show his surprise or displeasure but it was getting hard to do that. "Heir Lestrange." He acknowledged.

They stood in awkward silence until Heir Lestrange cleared his throat. "Aren't you wondering what I'm doing here?"

"Probably visiting your brother. I hope the visit goes well." Harry said as he inclined his head and made to pass the other man. Lord Lestrange quickly stepped in front of him and forced Harry to back away or risk walking straight into him.

Harry looked at him in aggravated bewilderment. What on earth could the man want with Harry now? "Was there something else?"

"I came here to see you."

Nope. He wasn't dealing with this minefield today. Or tomorrow. Or the day after that. Maybe next week. Or next year. Perhaps next century. "And now you have. Goodbye."

"I'm here to inquire why you haven't replied to any of my owls."

Harry sighed in aggravation now. "I believe I said all I needed to the first time you owled. I cannot understand why you would continue."

"I asked Rabastan about you."

"Fantastic." Harry said sarcastically, now thoroughly fed up with everything.

"He told me a great many things."

"Bully for you. Listen, is this going to take long because I'm kind of on a schedule here."

"My father also had several things to say about you."

"You're not even listening to me are you?"

"I've come here to ask for our courting to resume."

"Deaf! The man is deaf." Harry uttered as he threw his head back and stared at the clouds above. "Listen." He stated fiercely as he looked back at Heir Lestrange. "I don't know what Riddle has on you this time, but I already called off our courting. _Remember?_ Or have you suddenly had a lapse in memory as well?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"I'm not deaf and I remember quite clearly you breaking it off."

"Then why are you here?"

"I believe I just stated that. Are you sure you are not deaf?"

Harry snorted. "I don't know what's going on right now, but I'm not interested in whatever it is."

Heir Lestrange rumbled in displeasure. "Why are you so opposed to my interest?"

"Why am I opposed-? Why am I opposed? Oh, I don't know, I usually love it when the people I'm interested in are forced to spend time with me when they despise me."

"I don't despise you."

"No, what you are is indifferent and that's ten times worse. Which, once again, begs the question: what are you doing here?"

"As I already stated, I'm here to resume our courtship."

"Right." Harry stated, disbelief coating his words and he crossed his arms. "So Riddle sent you then."

"Lord Slytherin did not send me."

"Fantastic. So, what? We start courting and Riddle thinks he's forgiven?"

"This has nothing to do with Riddle!"

"Of course not, your father probably still thinks we're courting and you want to keep up appearances."

"Is it really so hard to believe that I'm interested in getting to know you?" Heir Lestrange gritted out.

"Yes." Harry stated simply. "It is. You had no previous interest in me, you showed a distinct indifference towards me when we courted and after I break it off you suddenly gain an interest? It seems more than a little unlikely which makes me wonder who forced you into it this time. Forgive me for thinking of the obvious conclusion."

"The only reason I'm here is because I have found myself wanting to get to know the man my brother and father met."

Harry scoffed. "You met him too, you just weren't interested in him. No," Harry stated as Heir Lestrange made to say something else, "I'm not interested in anything else you have to say. This conversation won't change my mind and nothing you say is believable to me. Do us both a favour and leave me alone from now on."

"I will prove my intentions towards you are true." Heir Lestrange declared intensely, staring into Harry’s eyes with a determination that was most certainly misplaced.

Harry growled in annoyance. "Sure, ignore everything I just said to you, why not!"

"This is not a joke." Heir Lestrange promised.

"Fuck off Lestrange!" Harry stated fiercely as he stomped around the other man.

What a fucking week.


	22. A Ray of Sparkles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four chapters today for those who don't know!!!

_Tom Marvolo Riddle was a stubborn man at heart and an emotional wreck never. That was, of course, before dear Harry tumbled into his life with such force that all of his carefully laid plans went to hell and he was forced to become an emotional wreck. We would like to say it helped Tom Marvolo Riddle, but he was still a stubborn man so there was none of that. When people get stubborn, such as our dear Harry had the habit of doing, they tend to stick their heads in the sand refuse to see anything other than their own anger. In some cases they become so hard-headed that friendships falter and love is lost. To soothe the mind of our possibly unsettled readers, dear Harry is one of those cases._

~~~~~~~~

"I don't understand why you're being so difficult Potter."

"This is maddening." Harry mumbled to himself before taking a deep breath and turning to face Riddle. "I'll only say this once so listen carefully. _You're_ the one that stated we weren't friends. _You're_ the one that repaid his debt to me by pimping out his friend to me. _You're_ the one who wanted nothing to do with me. The only thing I did was listen to you, so why are you following me around and trying to make amends for something, in your own words, _you didn't even do wrong_?"

Riddle looked at him sullenly. "I don't know."

"You-what?"

"I don't know!"

"You don't know. You don't know? How could you not know?" Harry demanded angrily.

"How the bloody hell should I know? I don't even understand how it happened! I was perfectly happy without you yapping about me all day and now the silence is practically deafening!"

"I think I'm mildly offended by that. I don't yap. I present very logical and thought out hypothetical’s for you to figure out."

"You told me the entire dating history between Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley because you were trying to find a way to get her to stop hitting on you without damaging your friendship with the other Weasley."

"Figured it out, didn't I?"

"You didn't do anything, I made her leave you alone. That's my point! I don't do things like this without some kind of ulterior motive but I did it because you were agitated!"

"It's called friendship."

"Well I don't want it." Tom replied sullenly.

Harry shrugged. "Think it's a bit too late for that."

"So now what?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm still mad at you. You were horrible to me."

"I could kill your relatives for you." Riddle said, his tone hopeful while his face was thoughtful.

"Don't be ridiculous." Harry snorted. "That's just impractical. Where would I go after Hogwarts?"

"You can come live with me." Riddle decided on a nod.

"You don't have a house." Harry pointed out.

"I have a manor."

"Since when?"

"Since I took up my Lordship after Yule."

"And you just forgot to mention this to me?"

"It didn't seem important at the time. And I didn't like you then."

Harry snorted, not wanting to be amused despite being very much amused. "So you like me now?"

"No." Tom hesitated. "But you are barely tolerable. To me. At times. Not this time, though, obviously." Harry looked bewildered as Tom just nodded firmly and did his best to appear as if he was not running away from Harry despite very much running away from him.

What a fucking week.


	23. A terrible Tragedy

_Harry James Potter was an ordinary boy. Harry James Potter was an even more ordinary wizard. Harry James Potter was mostly an ordinary boy wizard. Knowing this, our readers should really not be surprised that what dear Harry liked more than anything else in this world was to fade into the background at any moment as to not be seen. So the events that followed on the twenty-fifth, two weeks before their N.E.W.T. exams came as somewhat of a shock to dear Harry, who had never really taken Tom Marvolo Riddle seriously in any situation._

~~~~~~~~

"Hello." Harry said awkwardly as a room full of people stared back at him.

A man cleared this throat. "Yes. Hello. Harry."

Harry sighed silently in despair as the silence stretched on. This was just embarrassing. "Have I done something wrong?"

"What? Oh no, no no my boy. This is...something else entirely." Headmaster Dippet stated gently before turning to the man who had spoken earlier and giving him a hard glare.

"Right." The man said, jumping under the harsh gaze. "Right. Well, see here, the thing is that, well, it's rather difficult to say, but your family is-erm, well, gone."

"They've gone on vacation you mean?" Harry asked as he titled his head in fake confusion, suddenly thrilled at the turn of events.

"No." The man said slowly, sweat beginning to gather on his forehead.

"Sorry, but who are you exactly?" Harry asked as the silence stretched on.

"I'm auror Gibbers. This is my partner Abbott." Gibbers said with a thumb towards the man at the back of the room trying to disappear.

"Right. Hello." Harry said with a small wave. The man gave him a pained nod in return before looking determinedly towards the ceiling. Wondering if there was something particularly interesting up there Harry decided to see for himself. One by one the rest of the people in the room started to discreetly look up as well before Dumbledore loudly cleared his throat and gave auror Gibbers a stern look.

"Oh. Right. They're dead." Gibbers blurted out.

Harry swore he saw McGonagall drop her head in her hands in exasperation, but he didn't dare look too closely. "Who's dead?"

"Your family." Gibbers clarified, looking like he was supposed to be looking sorry about that but didn’t know how.

Harry relaxed in his chair and smiled at them all, unnerving them all. "Oh I know."

"You do?" Several voices asked in surprise.

"Yeah, been dead for quite some time now."

"Since when?" Abbott asked sharply.

"Since I was one.” Harry said slowly, looking even more confused at everyone around him now. This was common knowledge after all.

"One?!” Gibbers gasped in shock. “Wait. Hang on, which family are you talking about?"

"My mum and dad? Who are you talking about?"

"Your aunt and uncle!"

" _They're dead?_ " Harry uttered in shock, eyes big and starting to water.

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" McGonagall whispered furiously.

"Harry." Dumbledore said in a grave yet kind voice. "The Dursley's were murdered."

"Murdered! What happened?" Harry asked, his bottom lip trembling.

"It seems it was magical." Dumbledore continued in his grave yet kind voice. "We think it has something to do with Tom Riddle."

"Hang on now!" Auror Abbott interrupted aghast. "We've said no such thing!"

"Head Boy Tom Riddle?" Harry said in confusion, making eye contact with both Dippet and McGonagall to see if they heard the same thing.

"The very same." Dumbledore nodded.

"Aha." Harry said slowly, frowning at everyone in the room. "Why would he murder people he never met and didn't know where they lived?"

"I have a suspicion that he's become obsessed with you."

"Tom Riddle. Obsessed. Head Boy and top of the year Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle who has loads of friends, Tom Riddle?"

"Albus, really! Putting thoughts like that into the boy's head after he's had such a shock!" McGonagall objected.

"Professor Dumbledore I really must object. We've had no indication of this being a magical crime at all, and to suggest a student of doing such a thing..." Gibbers said, looking very uncomfortable.

"Tom Riddle is more than capable of doing something this evil, though I had hoped it wouldn't come to this."

"Hang on." Harry said slowly. "You think Head Boy and perfect grades Tom Riddle decided to kill the Dursley's because he's obsessed with me?"

"You don't agree?" Abbott asked.

"I barely know him, we've met a hand full of times before Dumbledore told me that he was dangerous and I should stay away from him."

"Professor Dumbledore approached you and told you to stay away from another student?" Headmaster Dippet said suddenly, his tone sharp and his eyes sharper as they looked Dumbledore's way.

"I was merely warning him-"

"That is highly unusual Albus! Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?"

"He's been keeping a really close eye on Riddle as well." Harry said solemnly. "And now he wants to get Riddle in trouble for a murder. That's weird, right? Should professors be that obsessed with students?"

"Keeping a close eye, eh? I think we need to have a chat, Professor Dumbledore." Abbott said sharply.

"Wait a moment,” Dumbledore interjected, “I think we've gotten off track here."

"Harry, why don't we go somewhere else to discuss these...events?" McGonagall said gently as she directed Harry to a side room where one of the aurors joined them.


	24. A Courting Disaster

_The Lestrange men were a hungry, violent sort. Their line is littered with accusations of murder and torture, briberies and blackmail, and enough terrified blood to think twice before never getting involved with them at all. Dear Harry never had any sort of inclination to listen to anyone so naturally he ignored all of that in the face of a pretty face. Heir Rodolphus Lestrange, on the other hand, happily took to the legacy of his line with vigour. He had bribed, blackmailed, vaguely tortured, and threatened murder to several people who he was sure would help him in his quest to win over dear Harry's heart. As it may surprise no one, Rodolphus had been biding his time to swoop dear Harry into his arms and bind him in every marriage vow he could think of so dear Harry could never leave him. It was only his terrible luck that dear Harry had a knack for being the worst sort of oblivious the poor Heir had ever seen._

~~~~~~~~

Rabastan looked hesitantly at Harry. "He's been watching you for years, you know."

"Who has?"

"Rodolphus."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Has he got you caught up in all this too then?"

"He's my brother." Rabastan stated with a shrug. "Not much I wouldn't do for him."

"Well bully for you." Harry snarked under his breath.

"He's liked you ever since you followed him around like a duckling."

Harry turned bright red. "I never followed him around like a duckling!"

Rabastan nodded in agreement. "Too true, ducklings are easier to spot. You were bloody difficult to catch."

"What? I didn't get caught!"

"Rodolphus always knew exactly when you were around, it was kind of weird how he knew so quickly but I remember him teaching me how to spot you. I got the hang of it too until Yule came around and then suddenly you stopped."

"What exactly is the point of this delightful story?"

"Why did you stop?" Rabastan asked, looking just over the top of Harry's head as if he was filtering through years of memories.

Harry would never, under any circumstances, admit to having an invisibility cloak so he decided to distract his friend in case he got close to the truth. "Rabastan? The point?"

"Hm? Oh! My point is that he's noticed you and liked you since he met you, but you were far too young and naive for any kind of overture."

"I was never naive!"

"You stalked a Lestrange." Rabastan deadpanned.

Harry winced. "Alright, I was a little naive. What does that have to do with anything now? It's not like I'm following him around. Actually, if anyone is doing the following, it's your brother."

Rabastan sighed wearily. "I know. He's a bloody nuisance. 'Have you seen Harry?' 'Has Harry mentioned me?' 'Do you think Harry would like this?'. For the love of Morganna, please put me out of my misery." Rabastan pleaded.

"I don't know what to tell you, I've turned him down twice already, the man just won't listen." Harry said shrugging his shoulders as he lifted his hands in a 'what can you do' way.

"Stop telling him 'no' is what you can do. We both know you still like him and when you lay in your bed tonight and go over everything I've just told you, you'll figure out that Rodolphus might actually just like you back but is just as shit as you in showing it."

Harry snorted. "Yeah, that's likely."

"Harry, how the bloody hell else did he know that you only eat a certain type of chocolate? How could he possibly know that the only candy you can tolerate are blood pops? Because I certainly didn't know that and I'm sure your other friends don't either."

"Who tells their friends they only like blood pops?" Harry mumbled, embarrassed. "They'll think I'm a vampire or something."

Rabastan snorted. "That's my point. While you were busy studying my brother, he was busy studying you. Didn't you think it was odd how my father pulled you into a dance and practically threw his Heir at you?"

"...No?"

"You're an idiot."

"We courted! He couldn't care less about me!"

"He was testing you!"

"Well then it's just too bad he failed my test isn't it?" Harry retorted stubbornly.

"Urg! You two deserve each other!" Rabastan stated as he threw his hands up in defeat. "That's it, I'm done. I wish you both a future of pure misery!" He declared loudly as he stomped out of the room.

Harry could only stare petulantly after him, his huffy mood lingering until a thought popped into his brain. "Rabastan? Hey Rabastan! Did you say he liked me? Rabastan?!"


	25. Dark Clouds and Rays of Sunshine

_Murder is a terrible thing, especially to dear Harry who mostly didn’t love his relatives at all. In fact, he mostly very much disliked them enough to have no problem whatsoever with the tragic events that lead to their deaths. The paperwork after the fact, however, was something that made dear Harry reconsider murder as a hobby. He did like Tom Marvolo Riddle just a little more after that, so all things considered, murder wasn’t all that terrible in dear Harry’s eyes._

~~~~~~~~

"You're welcome." Tom stated smugly as he found Harry in the library.

"For what?"

"For-don't you pay attention at all?"

"Not generally no." Harry admitted freely.

Tom sighed loudly before sitting across from Harry. "Now you can come live with me."

"What if I didn't want to?"

"Don't be stupid, you don't have another choice. "

"Technically I have the muggle house now."

"Why would you want it?" Tom asked in disgust.

"Who would look for me there?"

"Who would bother to look for you in the first place? You do this on purpose." Tom complained with a loud huff of aggravation as he sat down opposite Harry.

Harry shrugged. "Have you heard anything from Rodolphus?"

Tom rolled his eyes. "Besides the constant demands for updates about you? I cursed him last time I saw him to never mention you to me again but it seems that he's been un-cursed. Perhaps I should torture him instead?"

"Never mind that, is he still interested?"

"I'm seriously debating whether or not this 'friendship' thing is worth it."

"Did you hear?" A girl whispered loudly to her friend as they walked past them. "Professor Dumbledore was arrested!"

Harry beamed at Tom. "You're welcome."

"Welcome? For what? And you never said thank you. I gave you a gift and you're supposed to say thank you." Tom said sullenly, narrowing his eyes in warning.

"Right. Thank you." Harry said dutifully before looking at Tom, waiting for the other boy to ask.

"Fine." Tom snarled as he slammed open a book. "What did you do?"

"I got rid of a problem for you. Dumbledore got in loads of trouble and now everyone knows he's obsessed with you."

"And why is that in my favour?"

Harry blinked at him in surprise. "Because he was stalking you?"

"Was he?" Tom asked in mild surprise. "How odd."

"You didn't know?"

"He seemed quite fixated on me when I was younger, but I had thought he grew out of that." Tom said as he shrugged, already turning back to his homework.

"That's what you got out of his watching your every move?"

"The whole school watches my every move Potter, what difference does one teacher make?"

"Give someone a gift and they throw it in the fire." Harry said on a sad sigh.

"I take it back, go live in the muggle house."

"Can't. I already sold it. You're stuck with me now." Harry said with a happy smile as a dark cloud appeared over Tom's head. Harry would be worried, but he really did like dark clouds and Tom's was particularly pretty.


	26. Suspicious Behaviour Should Be Rewarded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four chapters today if you didn't know that yet!!
> 
> Happy New Years everyone and happy reading!!!!

_N.E.W.T.’s are generally one of the most stressful times in a young witch or wizards' life, hence the title of the exams. Mediwizards, healers, trainee healers, and matrons all over the Wizarding world have since sighed deeply at any mention of N.E.W.T. related cases. Why, during the 1925 N.E.W.T.’s, twenty-six of the test takers promptly fainted out of shock at knowing most of the answers. They had to be taken out of the exam and calmed down before they realized they knew most of the answers and demanded re-entry. To their shock, they only had half an hour of a three-hour exam left and scrambled to finish the exam. In all their panic to finish their exams, they managed to make the remaining test takers panic over their own exams and caused them to faint in panic of not knowing anything. To everyone’s surprise they all passed and all of them promptly decided to take up gardening to calm their ruined nerves._

~~~~~~~~

"I saw you talking with Riddle." Hermione said accusatorially as they walked towards dinner.

"Yep."

"So you've forgiven him then?" Ron asked with interest.

"Who?" Harry asked absentmindedly as he sucked obnoxiously on a blood pop that he had convinced Ron was cherry flavoured.

"Riddle." Hermione repeated, clearly annoyed.

"Dunno. Maybe?"

"Unlike with Lestrange you mean." Ron clarified as he stole Hermione's homework.

"Nope." Harry said cheerfully. "He's still writing. Rabastan said he's always liked me and Tom said he's still asking about me."

"And sending courting gifts." Ron nodded as he used Harry as a shield to copy Hermione's answers.

"Eh? No, these are bribes." Harry stated knowledgably. "I'm still not sure he means it."

"Whenever I tell mum about you, she tells me I'm messing things up in my head." Ron remarked sagely before turning back to his copying.

"Back to Riddle." Hermione interrupted, her hair a bushier mess than before. "What's going on between the two of you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I saw you two in the _library_ , heads together, books out, _studying_!"

"Wait, what?" Ron asked, popping up from behind Harry to look at Hermione in amazement.

"Are you, Harry? Are you _studying_ with _him_?" Hermione asked, taking several threatening steps forward.

"Oh Merlin, you've gone insane." Ron said breathlessly, a look of concern crossing his face.

"Nope. Just telling him that Dumbledore suspects him of murder."

Hermione blinked at him. "What?"

"Murder? Who was murdered?" Ron asked as he put back the stolen work.

"Oh, the Dursley's. I told you."

"WHAT?" Hermione repeated a tone or three higher and louder.

Ron looked pained. "Pretty sure you forgot that part, mate. I would have remembered that."

"Oh. Well, they were murdered and the aurors came to tell me all about it. They were actually very bad at it. Anyway, Dumbledore was convinced Tom had something to do with it and even accused him in front of the aurors when they came to tell me the news. Tried to pin their murders on him and everything. It was a whole thing." Harry said with a private smile as he thought back on the events.

" _WHAT?!_ "

Ron sighed heavily. "Is that why Dumbledore was arrested the other day and why he now keeps glaring at you like you set his favourite robes on fire?"

Harry shrugged. "Probably, but who knows with him. All of his robes look like his favourite."

"So? That's it? That's all you were doing in the library with Riddle? Telling him? _Not_ secretly studying? Behind my back?"

Harry rolled his eyes as he sucked on his blood pop before tugging it out with an obnoxious pop. "And I'm the weird one."


	27. The Choices of Nought

_The future is something a true clairvoyant will always curse until her dying breath. It may not be a well-known phenomenon, but the future is based on every single action and in-action a person makes. A clairvoyant may certainly predict a happy occasion, like a wedding for Heggsy Bath in 1986, but cannot accurately predict that she would stumble over a loose cobblestone and fall directly into the arms of a very handsome man. To be fair to the clairvoyant, she had indeed seen this, but that moment was only taken into account as an afterthought since the Heggsy Bath that was sitting in front of her that day had been terribly focused on getting her happily ever after with the man who had just proposed to her. The Heggsy Bath who tripped on the cobblestone some months later, however, was horribly upset with her beloved as she had just found out he intended to have the wedding colours be blue and green instead of her preferred orange and yellow. Needless to say, her tumble onto the most handsome man she had ever seen resulted in one stunningly bad affair that left poor Heggsy Bath breaking one engagement only to be left at the alter of her next wedding. Choices, as they say, are the spice of life. Unless you happen to be a clairvoyant and then it's best to never bring up the subject at all lest you be hexed._

~~~~~~~~

"What are we supposed to do now?" Ron asked after they left the exam hall of their very final exam, looking aimlessly around him.

"Erm, whatever we want?"

"I mean, later. After."

Harry peered at Ron in concern. "Are you alright?"

"No. What am I supposed to do with my life?"

"Consider getting a mind healer for moments like these."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"There you are!" Hermione announced in relief as she hurried over to them, arms full of parchment and books. "I can't find the answer for question-"

"Absolutely not." Harry stated firmly.

"Not for even a second." Ron agreed.

"A second what?"

"A second wasted trying to help you find an answer that will make me spiral into the depths of depression."

"How morbid."

"Welcome to life after Hogwarts." Harry stated brightly.

"Ah! There's Riddle." Hermione said with glee, dragging a very reluctant Harry behind her as she stomped her way over to Tom. "Riddle!"

"Granger." Tom stated with a deep frown that lightened marginally when he spotted Harry.

"I have nothing to do with it." Harry prefaced immediately.

Hermione ignored him as she focused solely on Tom. "How do you feel you did?"

"Excellently, as always. If you fear you did badly, go tell someone else."

"You're Head Boy!"

"I'm not here to assuage your fears of total and complete failure Granger."

"So that means you got answer fourteen wrong then." Hermione stated with a hum of satisfaction.

"Wrong?" Tom asked, looking to Harry who simply shrugged. "I don't do 'wrong'."

"And yet..."

"Harry, is this person with you?"

"Not today." Harry said with a solemn nod. "She's a horror after exams."

"Horror?!" Hermione screeched as Ron winced before slowly backing away.

"In a good way!" Harry hurried to assure her. Not that it did much good by the glare he got in return. He was sure that if her hands hadn't been filled to the brim, one of those books would have met his head in a very unsatisfying way.

"I've got better things to do than listen to this!" Hermione huffed before turning around and marching away, Ron sighing in dejection as he hurried after her with a short wave Harry's way.

"Brilliant. Now that she's out of the way, what was your answer to question sixteen?" Tom demanded as he turned on Harry.

"What?"

"Question sixteen. Have you gone deaf? This is not a good sign, but not unusual after an exam. I should get you to madam Pomfrey."

"What? I don't want to go to madam Pomfrey!" Harry protested as he was dragged down the halls by Tom.

"Something is clearly wrong with you."

"Yes, I choose friends who like talking about an exam after it's over."

"How else are you supposed to know what you got wrong?"

"Well, there's always the examiner."

Tom scoffed. "Like they know anything."

Harry sighed deeply before succumbing to his fate. "All right. Tell me about question sixteen." He stated with the same tone as a man would facing the gallows.


	28. The Crossword of Life

_Newspapers, as one might assume, are filled with news. That's not to say some don't like a good bit of gossip in-between all that news, just that most newspapers prefer news. Some even go so far as to add a bit of nuisance and laughter to their newspapers to alleviate all the stress of the hard-hitting news that most people would rather not think too hard on. One such item is the crossword. Crosswords may be easy or hard depending on the type of news that day. For instance, the rainstorm of 1789 that lasted for a good month had the newspapers start on light crosswords and proceeded to include some of the hardest crosswords to date, even the Ministry coup in 1834 didn't out-crossword the crossword difficulty of 1789. To this day when people start to boast of their crossword making skills, they are given the 1789 crossword with a raised eyebrow and heavy mocking. Only one person has ever been able to correctly fill out said crossword, but the editor refused to give up his name and Edward Shillingtons refused to admit it was him even though he happily carried around his evidence and produced it to viewing pleasure at the drop of a hat. It's a sad state of affairs that the only person to complete such a difficult crossword will forever remain nameless._

~~~~~~~~

"Congratulations mate!" Ron said as he slapped Harry on the back. "Could have told us before we read about it though."

"Er, thank you? What are you congratulating me on?"

"The paper?"

"Did I win the crossword puzzle?" Harry asked as excitement mounted. It had been a private dream of his to win one of those damnable things.

"You're engaged to Rodolphus Lestrange, Harry." Hermione stated distractedly as she put the finishing touches on her essay.

"I'm what?"

Ron peered at Harry in concern. "Did you not know that you were engaged?"

"I think I would know if I was engaged."

"But it was in the paper so you had to know you were engaged."

"Maybe the paper is lying." Hermione pointed out distractedly even as she continued to write.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Ron said thoughtfully.

"So how do I get them to write a retraction?"

"Is that wise though? I mean, it is about the Lestranges. "

"I can't let them print things that aren't true! That's even worse!"

"Isn't a lie if it's already happened."

"I'm. Not. Engaged!" Harry grit out enraged.

"Of course you are." Rodolphus announced with a certain amount of happiness from behind Harry.

"You again!" Harry hissed. "Why are you doing this to me? Do you think this is funny?"

"I'm starting to think everything I've been doing over the past few months has flown quite over your head."

"It did." Hermione muttered.

"Didn't notice a thing." Ron stated encouragingly. "Blood pops mate?"

Harry flushed scarlet. "I told you, it's cherry!"

"Then you should probably stop leaving the wrappers laying around."

"Shite." Harry mumbled as he tried to quiet his embarrassment.

"I even waited until exams where over." Rodolphus said as he noticed Harry’s waning attention.

Harry glared fiercely. "Do you want an applause?"

"But now I'm done waiting and I think I'm just going to have to take you."

"Excuse me?!" Harry spluttered out, his flushed face flushing a deeper red for an entirely different reason.

Between one blink and the next a whole troop of house-elves had popped in with flowers and Rodolphus was shooting confetti and streamers from his wand that shimmered and twirled in the air around them. Music came out from nowhere and Harry gaped in an unfashionably ugly manner when Rodolphus went down on one knee and presented him with a ring.

"I know this is terribly backwards of me, what with our engagement already public, but I felt you needed more tangible evidence that you're mine now just as much as I'm yours."

Harry continued to gape but managed to add blinking to further his thought processes.

"How quaint. Potter, say yes quickly so that this nauseating display of love can be cleaned up and we can all forget about it." Tom demanded with a heavy scowl Rodolphus' way.

"Erm."

"Close enough." Rodolphus stated with a firm nod before getting up and pulling Harry into the best (and up to that point, only) kiss of his life.

"Congratulations. Now get out. You're not allowed to be here without permission Heir Lestrange." Tom huffed.

"Who says I don't have any?"

"Erm." Harry repeated, staring at the ring on his finger in shock that quickly turned into a happy sort of shock that meant that his brain fell into a sort of mush that was completely worse than the shock it had been in before. Well, at least it was a step up from where he had started so that was something.


	29. Happiness is the Terrifying Sort of Thing People Do

_Proposals have been the bane of existence for witches since the tradition began in 1405. It started with a surprise pre-celebration in which Whitney Gladstone hexed all the guests in her fright when they popped out of various hiding places in her garden. The men who had come to show their support had laughed heartily through their painful boils and sores and remarked to each other what a tremendous idea it was to surprise their future wives this way. Needless to say, the women were less enchanted. They started to gather in small groups in the hopes of dissuading their other halves and became quite the paranoid lot. Several women started to carry little mirrors with them to peer around corners while others started to carry bags with them filled with various cosmetics that would hopefully fool their loved ones enough to wonder if the person they saw was actually the one they wanted and not a remarkable look-a-like. Lady Marbella Lefolsy put on so many cosmetics that even her dear brother (whom she forever hated after that fateful day) proclaimed up and down it couldn't possibly be her since his dear sister never looked like a painted whore. It comes as no surprise then that it was Lady Marbella Lefolsy who demanded from her father to fix this trend since ladies everywhere where crumbling under the stress. Her father very kindly (and under threat of never having a decent meal again) decided that if a suitor wanted his daughter's hand in marriage, they'd better come ask him. Of course, he wouldn't have been a good father (who noticed a very dark side eye from his darling daughter) if he hadn't also proclaimed that a courting period must be observed to check for compatibility. For the rest of her life, Lady Marbella LeFolsy was hailed as the saviour of sanity and good sense and her father ate only the best meals._

~~~~~~~~

"I haven't forgiven you yet." Harry stated with a frown even as his lips displayed a horrible amount of mutiny by smiling.

"Rabastan said you did." Rodolphus replied, his eyes shifting from Harry's frown to his lips.

"Your brother is the worst tattle tale ever."

"He's not a liar though, is he?" Rodolphus said with a knowing look.

"You can't just tell the papers we're getting married when you haven't even asked. We haven't even been courting for Merlin's sake!"

"Of course we have. What did you think all of this was?"

"Me denying you over and over again?"

"A mere hiccup."

"You were uninterested in me."

"A calculated risk to see how invested you were."

"You don't even like me."

"A lie. I love you."

"Can someone _silencio_ them, I don't think I can stomach hearing much more of this." Ron complained.

"I don't trust you. After I reject your advances suddenly you become interested in me and then you won't leave me alone. How could you possibly think I'd believe you now?"

"You did accept the proposal."

"First of all, no. Second of all, did you miss the part where I don't trust you, because I don't trust you."

"Don't be ridiculous, you just didn't want to trust that I was being truthful. Now that you know I am, we can easily work through all of your misgivings. If all fails, I can always ask father and Rabastan to show you just how much I care about you."

"I don't like how much sense you’re making." Harry complained petulantly.

"Would you like me to make less sense?"

"Please."

"I love you."

"Ugh, no!" Ron complained as he mimed throwing up.

Harry nodded. "Much better. Lunch?"

"Fantastic. Father is waiting for us."

"He knows about this?" Harry asked in horror.

"How else would I have planned this proposal?" Rodolphus asked, watching in humour as Harry's horror only grew. "Come, let's gather Rabastan and make it a family outing."

"Huh." Hermione stated as Harry and Rodolphus left the great hall.

"I know, who would have thought." Ron replied with a perplexed look on his face.

"I'm doing homework but we don't even have classes anymore." Hermione said in wonder.

Ron turned to her in surprise. "What? I thought we were talking about Harry and Rodolphus?"

Hermione snorted as she lit her work on fire. "Don't be stupid, they were always going to get married."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I've never met anyone who didn't want Harry after they were pulled into his circle."

"Except Malfoy." Ron pointed out as he glanced over at a morose looking Malfoy who was staring sadly into his tea.

"Malfoy was never pulled into the circle."

"Ms. Granger!" McGonagall barked as she popped up out of nowhere. "Kindly stop lighting your homework on fire, it's firmly against school regulation."

"It is?" Ron asked with no small amount of interest.

"It will be." McGonagall said darkly.


	30. A Freedom to Fly For

_Dear Harry was never overly fond of graduations. In his experience it never meant anything more than a symbolic 'this is over forever' and far more realistic 'I'm still stuck with the Dursley's and my day-to-day life hasn't changed at all'. One would call dear Harry a cynic but he preferred level-headed, which came in handy when he was forced back into his little cupboard underneath the stairs after his second ever graduation, where he was forced to listen to his aunt and uncle loudly celebrating their perfect child growing up to such a handsome young man. So while dear Harry had no fond memories to speak of, there were certain things that he was looking forward to after this particular graduation (that he still didn't care one whit about). One of them was never having to see the Dursley's again, another was going to live somewhere the Dursley's where not, and finally that he would never again have to ever interact with the Dursley's for the rest of his very long life. That they had been brutally murdered and the case was still ongoing meant very little to dear Harry, only the knowledge of his freedom from their dastardly claws gave him any sort of hope._

~~~~~~~~

"Dumbledore is still glaring at you." Ron told him softly.

"I know. I accidentally made him just a teacher again."

"'Just' a teacher?"

"He was Deputy Head."

"Was he? Why isn't he now?"

"Because I got him slightly arrested and watched for his behaviour towards Tom?"

"Huh. Yeah, I'd be angry with you too. Was that why he kept holding onto your diploma?"

"Uh, no. That was him trying to tell me that Tom's still super dangerous."

"Which he is."

"Which he is. Did it really look like he didn't want to give me my diploma?"

"Yep. Looked like a right tug-of-war. Hermione was about to march right up there and demand he hand it over." Both boys shivered in response to the averted threat of an enraged Hermione Granger.

"What are you going to do now?" Harry asked to distract them both.

"Auror training!" Ron said happily. "Heard you talking about them and thought, that sounds like something I could do, so I went and signed up."

Harry blinked in surprise as he remembered all the times Ron accidentally dropped his wand during mock duels. "You'll be great at it, mate!"

"Fred and George laughed at me."

"Tossers. I believe in you." Harry stated firmly even as he hoped Ron's new instructors would be better than the teachers they'd had over the years.

"There you are!" Tom called out as he appeared beside Harry.

"Here I am." Harry announced with a smile.

"We're going."

"Where?"

"Home."

"Now?"

"I could always leave you here."

"That would be rude."

"Or kill you."

"And that's hurtful. Don't be a Dumbledore, Tom." Harry said sternly as Ron choked on his drink. "I'll drop by the Burrow in a few days, yeah?"

"Yeah mate. Enjoy living with Riddle."

"It's going to be amazing!"

"Ah-huh." Ron nodded before wandering off to find Hermione and tell her how crazy Riddle had made Harry.

"Is Rodolphus going to meet us there?"

"Why would he do that?"

"Because we're getting married and he loves me."

"Must we do this again?" Tom muttered tiredly. "I had thought the obsession would wane once you two got together but sadly it's just grown. “

“It’s alright.” Harry said soothingly as he awkwardly patted Tom’s shoulder. “I’ll make sure to spend time with my favourite person.”

Tom glared at Harry as they left Hogwarts, but Harry took no mind of it since he was sure he could see Tom’s lips twitch in happiness.


	31. A Teacher Comes to Haunt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Five new chapters today if you didn't catch that!!

_Murderous tendencies, as with young Tom Marvolo Riddle, don't usually disappear after an allotted amount of time. As a matter of fact, during their brief non-friend month Tom Marvolo Riddle was so out of sorts that his followers bore the brunt of those murderous tendencies before directing him to more deserving victims. After their rather unusual reconciliation, his followers made a vow to each other that dear Harry and poor Tom's relationship should be protected against all costs. Unsurprisingly, during their rather long lives together, 387 various witches and wizards were warned away for the betterment of their own health. Each subsequent new recruit was made aware of this unwritten rule before being brought into the circle. One particularly stubborn wizard scoffed at the whole thing and thought it would be funny to have Tom Marvolo Riddle accuse dear Harry of infidelity. It is unknown if this event is the cause of the Department of House-elf Rights burning down or the temporary disbandment of the Wizengamot in 1956, but the ruckus only cost the life of one unfortunate wizard who was never remembered anyway._

~~~~~~~~

"So how's auror training treating you then?"

"Murderously." Ron replied happily.

"Is it really that bad?"

Ron nodded his head fervently. "People are insane and it's brilliant. The amount of spells we need to know just to make sure we don't get killed is...well it's a bloody lot."

"Isn't that the point though? To know more than the people you’re chasing?"

"Dunno. It's loads of fun, the actual physical stuff, but for the rest of it I really wish Hermione was with me."

"You'll get the hang of it." Harry said encouragingly as he handed Ron a firewhiskey. "How is Hermione?"

"Still laughing at odd moments when she remembers she beat out Malfoy for grades."

"Not still sore over Tom beating her?"

"Not so much since she found out that she managed to beat him in Charms. Question."

"Answer." Harry quipped dutifully.

"Does Dumbledore still hate you?"

"That is a question. Erm. Maybe? No idea, haven't seen him since we left Hogwarts."

"He's here right now and staring at you like he's hoping to it will set you on fire."

"Aren't you allowed to arrest him for that?"

"Trainee mate, I'm not even allowed to hold parchment yet."

Harry groaned but looked over, eyes darting about until he saw the man in question. It had been quite some time since he had last seen Dumbledore and he wasn't particularly happy to see him now. "Should I say hello?"

"Not with the way he's looking at you, and- oh, too late. Here he comes now." Ron said as he stood up to get another butterbeer.

Harry glared at the back of Ron's head but was distracted by Dumbledore leaning over him with quite a menacing air.

"Mr. Potter."

"Oh, it's Lord now actually." Harry said with a smile as he watched in fascination as Dumbledore's eye twitched alarmingly.

"Are you still in contact with Tom Riddle?"

"We are both involved in the same political circles if that's what you mean."

Dumbledore narrowed his eyes. "I'm not sure what he did to you but rest assured that one day I will prove to the world just how dangerous of a man Tom Riddle really is."

"That's quite the hobby." Harry replied genially as he watched Dumbledore's other eye join in on the twitching. "I think your eyes are having some sort of reaction, sir. Should I get help? I think you need help."

"No, no, that's hardly necessary-"

"Help? Who needs help?" Ron asked as he came back, eyes alert and darting over the people around them.

"Dumbledore seems to need some medical attention."

"No I don't, really-" Dumbledore started just as his eyes started to twitch once more.

"Right." Ron said with a certain amount of authority and a large amount of alarm. "That looks serious, let's go." He stated before grabbing onto Dumbledore and pulling him towards the fireplace.

"Coming through! Medical emergency here! Out of the way please!"

"Now really, there's nothing wrong with me!" Dumbledore cried out before being pushed through floo and out of sight.

Harry sighed with remorse as he looked at the butterbeer Ron had left behind before getting up and apparating home, hoping to catch Tom and warn him of this new alarming development.

He was so captured by his own thoughts that he failed to recognize the heavy feel of magic in the air until he opened the door to Tom's study.

"Tom?! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?!"

_And, in that moment of fierce and ugly insanity, one very unexpected thing came to pass: poor unsuspecting dear Harry walked through the door and was met with blood and rage and torture._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only three more chapters till the end! It's both exciting and totally sad because this has been so much fun for me to write


	32. A Surprise Out Of Sorts

_Now, the surprise Tom Marvolo Riddle faced in that moment was the first time he had been truly surprised in his whole life. Dear Harry, for his part, was very much unsurprised. He had known all about poor Tom's curse happy darker side for some time now and thus wasn't shocked by the scene he had walked in on. No, dear Harry was worried for the currently blood-drenched thousand galleon carpet, and rightly so. It was a work of art._

_Tom Marvolo Riddle had grown up in an orphanage and was entirely displeased with his lot in life. While he wasn't abused outright, he also wasn't loved. Children either feared him or bullied him, finding the poor boy odd in a way that makes children cruel. To counter that cruelty, he had been forced to retaliate in kind. Children, as we all know, are vicious creatures._

_From the day he was born, Tom Marvolo Riddle refused to be ordinary. Finding out he was a wizard meant his dreams had come true. Meeting Albus Dumbledore had cemented his lot in life. He refused to be bullied and belittled by another person for the rest of his life, no matter what it took. He would make sure he was the strongest and smartest boy no matter what. Tom Marvolo Riddle had planned out his life in minute detail while his belongings rattled in a very real fire. He would go to Hogwarts and become the best and strongest wizard in the whole school. He would learn everything there was and then find out who his parents were. If he was a wizard then that had to mean that his parents were too. Then he would take his place in this new world and make sure he would be the best there ever was. Once he had completed all of this, he would make extremely sure to pay Dumbledore back in kind for setting everything he owned on fire, real or not._

_So a young Tom Marvolo Riddle stepped into his new world and conquered all he set out to do. He became the strongest, the smartest, the fastest, and the most well liked wizard Hogwarts had seen in decades. Even Albus Dumbledore's suspicious looks did nothing to alter his path. Nor was finding out who his real parents were, or their subsequent murders. Life for Tom Riddle was going exactly as he had planned._

_That carefully and detailed plan was very roughly ripped to pieces the afternoon seventeen year old Tom Marvolo Riddle looked for a book about Vampire culture in the library, a book that happened to sit right next to dear Harry which would cause him to overhear an interesting back and forth between the previously unknown boy and the far more interesting Draco Malfoy. This very short conversation altered his plans so thoroughly that Tom Marvolo Riddle never even had the opportunity to make another Horcrux. Meeting dear Harry had changed his life in such a drastic way that Tom Marvolo Riddle would never become the monster he dreamed of becoming._

_He would become a politician instead._

~~~~~~~~

"Harry?" Tom Riddle asked, trying very hard to look as though this sort of thing happened every day. Which, it might surprise him to know, actually did happen almost every day. Harry just didn't know it.

"How could you! Do you have any idea what you've done?" Harry asked, his face aghast.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." If ever faced with certain death, denial has always seemed the way to go in Tom's very intellectual mind.

"The _carpet,_ Tom!" Harry rudely interrupted his thoughts.

"The-what?" Was shock possible for a wizard as great as he was? Tom had doubted it, but Harry had managed to do the unthinkable.

"The carpet!" Harry cried out in horror. "Do you have _any_ idea what it costs?"

Tom had no idea. He, in fact, really couldn't bloody care less. He had been in the middle of an interrogation after all. One doesn't exactly think of carpets during times like those.

"No? Should I?"

"You bloody well will if you keep killing people on it!"

"There are spells for that."

"Yes." Harry exclaimed with an exasperation Tom wasn't quite sure fit his supposed crime. "If you want people to become suspicious of you! The carpet will have more magic than you will. It won't take a genius to figure out what you're doing, will it?"

"So I'll ask the house-elves to take care of it."

Harry groaned theatrically, as if Tom simply didn't understand the point. Which he, of course, didn't. "Magic leaves a _residue_ , Tom, even house-elf magic. If the aurors ever come here to find something incriminating about you, all they have to do is pick up the damn carpet!"

"Unlikely."

"And that's just the magic!" Harry barrelled on, indifferent to Tom's dismissal. "The carpet will start to _fray_ , Tom."

Tom, starting to feel how absolutely ridiculous this argument was while his victim was laying between them and trying his best to escape, pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to not curse his best friend. "And?" He asked testily.

"You can't 'replace' a carpet that is supposed to last several centuries and not expect people to talk."

"So what would you have me do?"

"Get a torture room like a normal wizard, for heaven's sake!"

"I don't _want_ a torture room, I like _this_ room."

"Well then you'll have to move the carpet."

"I don't want to move the carpet, it looks good here."

"Then stop murdering people on it."

Tom took a very deep breath. "Is there a point to all of this?" He asked carefully, only a twitch away from cursing someone, preferably Harry.

Harry deflated. "Dumbledore has been making noise."

"Ah." Tom said, his shoulders relaxing as Harry nodded fervently. So that was the problem.

Harry, in all his wisdom, was a terrible communicator. He was very good at informing other people of important things but was terrible in telling people the importance of those important things. He should have started by explaining about Dumbledore, but instead decided against normal conversation to focus on a carpet, of all things.

"Do you not care at all about...this?" Tom asked indicating the very tortured man, slightly baffled at Harry's indifference. Shouldn't the other man be a little more...alarmed?

"Should I?"

"Probably."

"I mean, he most likely figured out what you were doing, which, honestly, stop that because someone's bound to notice, and then went to you and tried to blackmail you. Right?" Harry questioned as he looked down at the wiggling man between them.

Tom cleared his throat in a conscious effort to find something to say to that. "Close enough, yes."

"Well, I have to be honest here, it's his own fault."

It took Tom a moment or two to figure out how to respond to that. "How do you figure that?"

"If he figured out what you were doing, then he knows you've killed before."

Tom inclined his head in agreement. "Possibly."

Harry sighed. "What type of idiot knowingly seeks out a confirmed killer to blackmail them? You're just asking to be murdered really."

"Er." Had he always been this useless with words? What was it about Harry Potter that made him speechless? The man never stopped surprising him.

"If you're stupid enough to blackmail a murderer, you deserve what you get." Harry said firmly enough that Tom started to believe him. Perhaps he wouldn't have to kill his best friend after all.

"That's a little harsh." He pointed out, feeling like he had to point out Harry's ridiculous line of thought.

"Says the man who planned to kill him."

"Well of course I am, he knows too much. He's a liability." Tom replied, a little affronted.

Harry nodded as he shrugged. "See? Totally deserves it."

"I'm not quite sure what to do with your acceptance." Tom said finally, after a short silence had fallen over them both.

"I know, you don't do very well under these sorts of pressurized situations. I'll wait until you're done. Just-"

Tom rolled his eyes as he quickly interrupted. "Yes, I know, don't ruin the carpet."

Harry beamed at him. "I knew you'd understand."

"I don't understand a bloody thing about my life since you came in to it." Tom muttered darkly as Harry walked out of the room.


	33. Logic Needs Windows To Fly Out Of

_At the tender age of ten, dear Harry had already been in charge of the washing machine for a good four years and had a reasonably solid grasp on how it worked. Plug in the plug, open the door, put in the dirty laundry, close door, turn on machine, add detergent as the second water flowed in (not the first or it streaked!) and let the machine do all the washing. Aunt Petunia, who had always hated laundry of any sort, usually found fault with every load Harry had ever washed. One had been too wet, another too dry. One had had too much detergent, the other not enough fabric softener (which his dear aunt had never bought in the first place). His most memorable complaint had always been one of blood. Mostly Harry's but on occasion Aunt Petunia's as well (who hadn't, at that time, gone into menopause). As a result, Harry had become something of an expert at washing out blood. He knew to always attempt to wash it out first by hand (cold water and soap) and then plop it into the machine to get out anything he had missed. To walk into a room with such an amount of blood on a perfectly good carpet? Dear Harry had been almost beside himself trying to find a good way to put a far too expensive carpet in the washing machine. It's probably for the best he never tried, what with wizards not having washing machines and all._

~~~~~~~~

"So we should talk." Harry started as Tom walked into the parlour.

"It seems prudent."

"The body?"

"Not of concern at the moment." Tom stated with a rather pointed look. If Harry wanted to talk, then they would talk.

The silence stretched between them as they occupied themselves with tea and biscuits. "So." Harry stated after too loudly clearly his throat. "Murder. Do that often?"

"Not as much as it seems."

"Which means?"

Tom tapped his fingers on his chair as he looked at Harry, lost in thought as he tried to figure out if telling the truth was worth the effort of keeping his friendship.

"If it helps, I know about the Riddles." Harry stated as he chomped down on his biscuit.

Tom froze. Perhaps he had been too swift to un-consider Harry's demise. "How?" He asked lightly.

Harry's lips twitched. "I researched you. If I'm going to be running around in your circles, marrying a man you consider one of yours, then I had better know everything about you."

"That's...logical."

Harry rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Thank you for that vote of confidence, my life is now complete." Tom hissed at him in anger. Trust the idiot to consider this whole conversation nothing less than a footnote. "Also, I don't know if it makes much of a difference, but I don't think I care all that much." Harry continued with a small shrug.

Now wasn't that a surprise? Tom knew that Harry was very much against killing, or rather having to kill anything himself. It simply went against his hard earned set of morals. What he apparently didn't have a problem with was someone else doing the killing. Tom supposed Harry was the sort who needed a good reason to go with the murder. A justification he could rightly understand before he either gave his approval or his disapproval. Perhaps for Harry's next birthday he could present him with the death of those underlings he detested? A cementing of their friendship, that was the sort of thing Harry liked.

"Besides, Ron and Hermione are coming over and they don't know anything about your murder happy ways." Harry continued.

"I'm not murder happy!"

Harry looked pointedly at the door that led to the very blood soaked carpet hidden in the other room. "Ah-huh."

"I'm _not_. It's just a by-product of my business."

"The business of taking over the world? You do realize that your business is my business right? We're both heavily involved in politics and you don't see me running around murdering people."

Tom ground his teeth. "I hate you."

"I'll make dinner. That always makes you happier, and then you and Hermione can discuss how stupid Malfoy is."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because she's coming over for dinner?"

"Why?"

"We're friends."

" _Your_ friends."

"That you will now eat dinner with."

"I'll do no such thing."

"I met your friends."

"You barged into a private meeting and gave them tea and biscuits. They are not my friends, they are my followers." Tom said in aggravation, remembering too clearly the confusion and bafflement of his followers at Harry’s behaviour.

"I'm going to tell Rodolphus you said that."

Tom considered the effort it would take to get Rodolphus to lay off once Harry complained. "Fine. I'll have dinner with your stupid mudblood."

Harry sighed in disappointment. "She beat you in one class, get over it."

"I could always kill her."

"Better idea, hold it against her for the rest of her very long life."

"I'm glad we agree.” Tom said with a nod that turned into a glare when Harry reached for him. “If you pat me on the back I will murder you."

"And you said you weren't murder happy." Harry said affectionately.

Tom sighed morosely. The man was crazy. It boded well for their relationship.


	34. Some Endings Only Have Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last three chapters guys!   
> As always, no beta!

“What was your news that you needed to tell me so desperately?”

“Hm? Oh! Dumbledore's still after you. Seems convinced you're evil and he's going to out you no matter what. I think he's planning something.”

Tom nodded. “Ah yes. I had suspected something like this after my enquiries.”

Harry blinked in confusion. “What enquiries?”

“After you mentioned his little obsession with you, I decided it would be in my best interest if I knew all there was to know about him for possible future confrontations.”

“Hang on, he isn't obsessed with me, he's obsessed with you!”

“Which is why he seeks you out at every opportunity and threatens you.” Tom said with a knowingly smug look.

“No he's not he's- well, all right, maybe a little bit of threatening-“ Harry amended as he thought back to all their meetings.

“Precisely.”

“-but it's mostly threatening _you_ , not _me_.”

“Did you know that Dumbledore was in love with Gellert Grindewald?”

“What!”

“That they were childhood sweethearts that had plans for muggle domination?”

“This seems wildly off topic. Should you know this much about Dumbledore's love life?”

“All very well documented by Grindewald's loving aunt.”

“Not that that's weird in any way. I feel dirty now.” Harry said with a pout.

“She was ever so upset when they had a falling out and he left the country. Seemed to think they were attached at the hip. Fun story-“

“Not that fun.”

“-It turns out that Dumbledore organized a small group of people to help him fight against Grindewald when his followers came here. Two of those followers where your parents.”

“Dumbledore? _Our_ Dumbledore? Professor Dumbledore? _That_ Dumbledore?”

“Yes, _that_ Dumbledore.”

“Dumbledore who taught us Transfiguration and kept a close eye on you.”

“Debatable, but still the same Dumbledore.”

“Dumbledore who fell in love with Grindewald and then duelled him.”

“Yes.” Tom said with relish.

“Grindewald who was trying to become a mass murder and who was Dumbledore's lover.”

“The Dumbledore that put your parents in the line of fire. Coincidence?”

“Dumbledore's lover or Dumbledore killed my parents?” Harry asked in shock. “But why?”

“That's what we are going to find out.”

“And then?”

“And then I'm going to put Albus Dumbledore where he belongs!” Tom stated murderously, an evil chuckle slipping out before he could stop himself.

“Oh dear.” Harry stated, faintly amused and wondering if he should be telling Ron and Hermione they were going to be needed for another adventure soon.

~~~~~~~~

_That, however, is another story entirely. We end our story here, where both of our heroes finally find the love and acceptance they had always dreamed of. Harry was disgustingly happy and Tom was ready to change the Wizarding world to his preferred image instead of trying to burn the whole thing to the ground. It's just lucky he found dear Harry before anything sinister could have happened._

_All was mostly well, as such things usually tend to be. Barring any sort of disaster, of course, in the form of someone finding Lady Elora Tompson's final resting place._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imagines people opening the paper and seeing that her body was found *gasp* Oh no!
> 
> It’s over and now I’m all sad because I loved writing this but happy because it’s all nice and complete but really sad it’s over. Emotions, bleh!  
> I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did and thank you guys for reading and giving this fic a chance!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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